THE FERTILIZER INSPECTION IN 1904. 



One biindred and Dineteen differeDt brands of mixed fertil- 

 izers were collected and analyzed during the season, together 

 with four lots of ground bone and two of chemicals. Twelve 

 of the mixed fertilizers were later withdrawn from the state by 

 the manufacturers, who preferred to do this rather than license 

 them, and the results of their aualj'sis are not included in the 

 following tables. 



The various brands were as a rule well above the minimum 

 guaranteed percentages for the different constituents. Five 

 brands were sufficiently low to affect their value. Nineteen 

 brands had deficits in one constituent offset by excesses in 

 others, which more than maintained their value. The deficits 

 were about equally divided between nitrogen and potash, with 

 but one in available phosphoric acid. 



An important feature of the chemical analysis was the 

 marked increase in the proportion of nitrate of soda in many 

 of the brands. This is of especial interest, because nitrate of 

 soda is the most quickly effective and the most thoroughly 

 assimilated of any of the nitrogenous chemicals used in fertiz- 

 ers. More confidence can be placed in a fertilizer which con- 

 tains from one fourth to one third of its nitrogen in nitrate of 

 soda, than in one which contains onlv organic nitroo;en. 



All purchasers of fertilizers should note carefully the guar- 

 anteed percentages of nitrogen, soluble and available phos- 

 phoric acid and potash. Fertilizers with over 3 per cent, 

 nitrogen, 8 per cent, available phosphoric acid and 6 per cent, 

 potash, require more concentrated and better chemicals for 

 their composition than the goods which have lower propor- 

 tions of nitrogen and potash, and though the latter cost less, 

 they are seldom as economical in their results. For example, 

 25 fertilizers had more than 2.5 per cent, nitrogen and all con- 

 tained nitrate of soda. Twenty-seven contained less than 1.5 

 per cent, nitrogen, and only three of them had any nitrates in 

 them. Such fertilizers would require stable manure in con- 

 junction with them to give satisfaction. 



