66 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



have been examined, and only 1 deficiency was fonnd. The 

 ponnd of actual potash as muriate or chloride has cost on the 

 averac'c 4.0 (> cents. 



Kainit. — Two samples of kainit have been analyzed and 

 found well up to the guarantee. The pound of actual potash 

 from kainit has cost 4.21 cents. 



PiiosiMioiac Acid Compounds. — Dissolved Bone Black. — 

 Three samples of dissolved bone black have been examined. 

 Two of these were found somewhat low in avaihible phosphoric 

 acid, although only 1 showed a commercial shortage of over 50 

 cents per ton. The pound of available phosphoric acid from 

 this source has cost, on the average, 5.91 cents. 



Acid Phosphate. — Ten samples of acid phosphate have been 

 examined, all but 3 being found well up to the minimum guar- 

 antee. No commercial shortages of over 50 cents per ton were 

 noticed. The pound of available phosphoric acid from acid 

 phosphate has cost 5.76 cents. 



Basic Slag Phosphate. — Five samples have been analyzed, 

 and the phosphoric acid ran low in 2 instances. There were no 

 commercial shortages of over 50 cents per ton. The pound of 

 available phosphoric acid (by Wagner's method) from basic slag 

 has cost, on the average, 5.01 cents. 



The complete results of the fertilizer inspection may be found 

 in Bulletin 135. 



Miscellaneous ^yorl\ 



During the early part of the year some two months were 

 devoted to the detailed mineral analysis of asparagus roots, in 

 connection with fertilizer experiments carried on by the agri- 

 cultural department. There has also been examined a number 

 of cases of abnormal soils due to over-fertilization ; such condi- 

 tions are found particularly in greenhouse and tobacco soils, and 

 in the latter case is confined to 'soils possessing an impervious 

 subsoil, which will not permit of the free circulation of soluble 

 saline materials. 



In addition to the above work the fertilizer section has an- 

 alyzed home mixtures, chemicals, by-products, soils, insecti- 

 cides, etc., for farmers and farmers' organizations. Wo have 

 insisted that all such material be taken according to furnished 

 directions, which is more likely to insure representative sam- 



