22 



Potash Compounds. 



Twenty-one samples have been examined and the 

 High Grade potash guarantee was maintained in all but one 

 Sulfate of instance. The pound of actual potash in this 

 Potash. form has cost on the average 5.2 cents. Brand 

 No. 887, licensed by the Whitman & Pratt Ren- 

 dering Co., showed 39.04% potash, 48% being guaranteed. The 

 company state that all of their potavsh was sold in original bags as 

 imported. 



Two cases of misbranding were discovered by our inspectors. 

 Material put out by the Nitrate Agencies Company as High Grade 

 Sulfate of Potash proved upon analysis to be Muriate of Potash. 

 The sale of the material as sulfate of potash was discontinued and 

 the material was properly labelled. The Nitrate Agencies Com- 

 pany have this to say concerning the matter : 



"All of the potash which we sell is imported from Gemiany and 

 is shipped as received in the original bags of the German Kali 

 Works. Altho we license Muriate of Potash, Sulfate of Potash 

 and Kainit, attaching our tags to the bags when shipping, thereby 

 assuming the responsibility" the shipments in question "were 

 branded Sulfate of Potash, 48% Actual Potash, and without ex- 

 amining the entire lot we shipped the goods according to the brand- 

 ing, as Sulfate of Potash. It is very evident that it was Muriate 

 of Potash bagged in error from Gemiany in Sulfate of Potash bags, 

 so that we cannot but feel that the circumstances surrounding the 

 shipment of Muriate of Potash as Sulfate of Potash were beyond 

 our control. As soon as the matter was called to our attention by 

 the consignees we put forth every effort to rectify the matter, al- 

 lowing them the full difference in value between muriate and sulfate 

 of potash and shipping them some sulfate of potash from another 

 lot." "We realize fully the seriousness of the error but we believe 

 that under the circumstances you appreciate that it was beyond our 

 normal control and that there was no intention on our part to sub- 

 stitute one material for another." 



As the Nitrate Agencies Company are simply distributors of 

 raw products and agricultural salts, it is readily seen how the mis- 

 take happened. Occasion was taken, however, to point out the 

 seriousness of the error and that as the material was sold under 

 their brand name, they w^ere responsible for the delivery of proper 

 material. We have the assurance of the company that shipments 

 will be examined hereafter before forwarding. 



Potash- Six samples of potash-magnesia sulfate have been 



Magnesia examined and all but two were found fully up to 



Sulfate. the guarantee. The pound cost of actual potash 



in this fonn has been 5.91 cents. 



