38 



In one case where the potash was guaranteed present as carbon- 

 ate, enough soluble sulfates were found present to unite with all of 

 the potash present. The brand was the "Berkshire Tobacco 

 Special with Carbonate of Potash," represented by Nos. 50-77- 

 174-337-550. The Berkshire Fertilizer Company claimed that 

 every pound of potash in the brand was derived from high grade 

 carbonate, but that some sulfate of ammonia was used in the goods 

 as a nitrogen source. This, of course, would account for the solu- 

 ble sulfates present and the case serves to show the inconsistency 

 of furnishing potash from carbonate and using another chemical 

 that will furnish an amount of soluble sulfates equivalent to the 

 potash present. It is reasonable to suppose that if the consumer 

 pays for carbonate of potash he expects that the fertilizer will ex- 

 clude both soluble chlorides and stilfates. 



Explanation of Tables and Analyses. 



In the first column will be found the name and address of the 

 fertilizer manufacturer and the names of the brands analyzed. 



The second column designates the town where each sample was 

 drawn. Where the words "manufacturer's sample" occur, a cer- 

 tified sample was sent on by the manufacturer at our request. 



The column giving "dealer's cash price per ton" shows the cash 

 price that was charged the consimier for one ton of fertilizer at the 

 place where the brand was collected. There are in some instances 

 ver}^ wide differences between the prices which were charged by 

 various agents for the same brand. These variations have, how- 

 ever, been verified by the agents in writing and so are published 

 for what they are worth. 



The "valuation" column shows the retail cash cost in our large 

 markets or centers of distribution of amounts of nitrogen, phos- 

 phoric acid and potash, equivalent to those found in one ton of the 

 fertilizer. 



The "percentage of difference" column shows the percentage 

 excess of the retail cash price over the valuation another manner of 

 expressing the difference between the cash cost and the commercial 

 valuation of the fertilizer. 



The "laboratory number" is simply a reference number used 

 in the collection and analyses of the various brands. 



In the nitrogen column "as nitrates and ammoniates" signifies 

 that by actual test the amounts designated were found present 

 either as nitrates of soda, potash or lime and as sulfate of ammonia. 

 Both forms being readily soluble in water and highly available and 

 valued at the same figure, it was not thought necessary to separate 

 the two inasmuch as they are deteniiined jointly by the same 

 method . The term "active organic" nitrogen designates that portion 



