12 



Wood's S. P. Fertilizer. Worcester Rendering Co, Auburn, 



Wood's 7-7-7 Fertilizer. Mass. 



J. M. Woodard, Greenfield, Mass. Ground Tankage. 



Woodard's Unground Tankage. 



The fertilizer collection was made by our regular 

 Collection of inspector, Mr. James T. Howard, assisted by Messrs. 

 Fertilizers. R. G. Smith and L. O. Stevenson. With few excep- 

 tions, a representative sample was procured of every 

 brand of fertilizer registered for sale in Massachusetts. The usual 

 custom of procuring samples of the same brand in various parts of the 

 state has been followed, the object being to sample as large a tonnage 

 as possible, so as to make the analysis more representative. Data col- 

 lected by our inspectors show that 6,465 tons of fertilizer were sampled. 

 This necessitated the drawing of fertilizer from over 17,000 sacks; 

 69.3 per cent of the total tonnage of complete fertilizers sampled were 

 high grade, (valued over $24. per ton), 20.6 per cent were medium 

 grade, (valued between $18.00 and $24.00 per ton), and only 10 per 

 cent were low grade, (valued less than $18.00 per ton). It is grati- 

 fying to note the large tonnage of high and medium grade fertilizers 

 as compared with the low grade goods. 



Nearly all of the cottonseed meal used as fertilizer for tobacco 

 is bought on a guarantee of nitrogen, subject to an analysis by the 

 Experiment Station, proper rebates being allowed in case of nitrogen 

 shortage. The same custom holds true in the purchase of many 

 chemicals and lime compounds. It has been the custom to sample 

 and analyze these large shipments of meal, fertilizer and lime, upon 

 application, a representative sample being thereby assured. The 

 sampling usually takes place before the regular inspection and a part 

 of the expense is borne by the purchaser. This method reduces the 

 number of samples sent to the station, so that the actual Avork in- 

 volved in the separate analysis of these products is but little more, 

 aside from the drawing of the samples, than would be the case if the 

 samples were taken and sent by the purchaser. 



The present season 133 towns were visited'and 1,299 samples, 

 representing 571 brands, were drawn from stock found in the posses- 

 sion of 381 different agents. This is 119 more samples, representing 

 44 more brands, than were taken during the previous year. 



Seven hundred and forty-seven analyses, (573 distinct 



Fertilizers brands), have been made during the year's inspection. 



Analyzed. They may be grouped as follows: 



Complete Fertilizers 427 



Materials furnishing phosphoric acid and potash 26 

 Ground bone, tankage and fish 67 



