speedy action, exert as a rule, a decided influence on their selling 

 price. 



The mechanical condition of any fertilizing materiaU simple or 

 compound, deserves the most serious consideration of farmers, when 

 articles of a similar chemical character are offered for their choice. 

 The degree of pulverization controls almost without exception, under 

 similar conditions, the rate of solubility, and the more or less rapid 

 diffusion of the dift'erent articles of plant-food througliout the soil. 



The state 0/ ??ioi.si;*<re exerts a no less important influence on the 

 pecuniary value in cnse of one and the same kind of substance. Two 

 samples of fish fertilizers, although equally pure, may differ from 50 

 to 100 per cent in commercial value, on account of mere difference 

 in moisture. 



Crude stock for the manufacture of fertilizers, and refuse materials 

 of various descriptions, have to be valued with refereace to the 

 market price of their [u-incipal constituents, taking into consideration 

 at the same time their general fitness for speedy action. 



Consumers of commercial manurial substances do well to buy 

 whenever practicable, on guarantee of composition with reference to 

 their essential constituents ; and to see to it that the bill of sale 

 recognizes that point of the bargain. Any mistake or misunder- 

 standing in the transaction may be readily adjusted, in that case, 

 between the contending parties. The responsibility of the dealer 

 ends with furnishing an article corresponding in its composition with 

 the lowest stated quantity of each specified essential constituent. 

 Our present laws for the regulation of the trade in Commercial Fertilizers 

 include not only the various brands of compound fertilizers, but also 

 all materials single or compound without reference to source, used for 

 manurial purposes when offered for sale in our market at ten dollars 

 or more per ton. 



A large percentage of commercial manurial materials consists of ref- 

 use matter from various industries. The composition of these substances 

 depends on the mode of manufacture carried on. The rapid progress 

 in our manufacturing industries is liable to affect at any time, more 

 or less seriously, the composition of the refuse. To assist the farm- 

 ing community in a clear and intelligent appreciation of the various 

 substances sold for manurial purposes, a frequent examination into 

 the temporary characters of agriculturalchemicalsandrefuse materials 

 offered in our markets for manurial purposes is constantly carried on 

 at the laboratory of the station. 



