154 BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. 



the law of demand and supply will work any reform for lis. 

 It does seem to me clear that experts are very much better 

 able to determine the value of these fertilizers than the ordi- 

 nary farmer. I know an expert is very much better able to 

 do it than I am myself, and I feel that there is a vast amount 

 of material in our Commonwealth that ought to be, and can 

 be, utilized by our farmers, which has a value, and that value 

 ghould be determined. Who is to determine it? We know 

 that the farmer in past years has been cheated in the matter 

 of these fertilizers. Who is to determine the value of any- 

 thing of that description? Our chemists. For my part, I 

 feel that it is exceedingly important that the farmers should 

 sustain the present law, or, if they cannot do that, that some 

 law should be prepared which shall protect us. 



With regard to the fertilizer spoken of that is manufact- 

 ured in the town of Brighton, possibly it is not necessary 

 that that should be analyzed. It does seem as though that 

 was from such pure sources that we could trust to its value, 

 and I believe it is in the hands of such men, and that the 

 association itself has such an interest at stake, that it will 

 maintain its standard. And in regard to that, I wish to say, 

 that I do not think there need be any apprehension that it 

 will burn the crops. I have used the article upon pots in the 

 greenhouse, and upon ve'ry delicate plants, and I find that it 

 can be used in considerable quantities without danger of 

 burning, as in the case of guano. I have used it with guano, 

 when I have found the guano was destructive. I have also 

 used it in connection with the Stassfurt salts, when I found 

 the salts absolutely killed the plant, and the abattoir manure 

 was a fine fertilizer. I have not used it on grass-land to such 

 an extent as to be able to express an opinion as to its efiect 

 so positively as I could wish, but I have used it. I seeded 

 down an acre and a half of land this fall to grass, and used 

 about three hundred pounds to the acre, and I find the most 

 admirable results ; perhaps as fine a greensward as I have 

 ever obtained by seeding in August, which is, in my judg- 

 ment, the month of all months for putting in grass-seed. 



My wish in rising was to express the opinion that this law 

 should be sustained, or that the farmers should demand some 

 law and some competent person to protect them in the pur- 



