1911. 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 



59 



That 24 out of the 300 brands (7.85 per cent, of the whole 

 number) showed a commercial shortage; that is, they did not 

 show the amount and value of the plant food as expressed by 

 the lower guarantee, although the values of any overruns were 

 used to offset shortages. 



The deficiencies were divided as follows : — 



60 brands were found deficient in nitrogen. 



80 brands were found deficient in available phosphoric acid. 



71 brands were found deficient in potash. 



When the data furnished by the above summary are compared 

 with those of previous years, it is clear that greater care has 

 been exercised on the part of the manufacturers, the guarantees 

 being more generally maintained. 



More brands were deficient in potash than during the pre- 

 vious year, a fact which may be due to temporary shortage in 

 the supply of German potash salts in this country and corre- 

 spondingly higher prices. These conditions were due to Ger- 

 man legislation, which prevented the carrying out of contracts 

 with German mine owners held by American fertilizer manu- 

 facturers except on payment of heavy production taxes. 



Commercial Shortages. 



The brands having a commercial shortage were much fewer 

 in number than for 1000, and the amount or value of the short- 

 ages was much less, as may be seen from the following table : — 



Commercial Shortages in Mixed Complete Fertilizers for 1910, as Com- 

 pared with the Previous Tear. 



