51 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



of actual potash in this form has cost on tlic average 5.2 cents. 

 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 dis- 

 continued and the material was properly labeled. 



Six samples of potash-magnesia sulfate have been examined 

 and all but 2 were found fully up to the guarantee. The pound 

 of actual potash in this form has cost 5.91 cents. Several cases 

 have been detected where high-grade sulfate of potash has been 

 reduced with sand and kieserit. The parties registering the 

 material have disclaimed any knowledge of such a practice, and 

 state that the material was bought for potash-magnesia sulfate 

 and sold by them in the original bags as imported from Ger- 

 many. The matter was taken up with the German syndicate, 

 who traced the adulteration back to the mine that originally pro- 

 duced the goods. A statement was made by the importers that 

 the mine had been heavily fined for the practice, and large ship- 

 ments of the adulterated product had been returned to the mine. 

 The imi^orters offered to compensate tlie buyers, who in turu 

 would rebate the farmer, for the value of the deficient magnesia 

 less the value of the overrun in jiotash. 



Eighteen samples of muriate of potash have been examined 

 and 3 were found deficient in potash. The ])ound of actual pot- 

 ash as muriate or chloride has cost on the average of 4.43 cents. 

 Two brands have shown a commercial shortage amounting to 50 

 cents or over per ton. There seems reason to believe that it is 

 not improbable that some cases of apparent shortage in case of 

 muriate of ]wtash may be due to absor])tion of moisture, result- 

 ing, of course, in a greater weight of the material without any 

 actual loss of potash, provided the material is sold in the original 

 package and each package is only credited with a weight of 200 

 pounds. 



Three samples of kainit have been analyzed and found well 

 u]) to the guarantee. The pound of actual i)otasli from kainit 

 has cost 4.34 cents. 



(3) Pliof^phoric Acid Compounds. — Two samples of dis- 

 solved bone black have been analyzed and both showed a com- 

 mercial shortage of over 50 cents per ton. The pound of avail- 



