COMMERCIAL MANURES. 281 



A lengthy and interesting discussion followed, in reference to 

 varieties and the modes of cultivation, pending which the Board 

 adjourned. 



FOURTH DAY. 



The Board met at 10 o'clock, A. M., Mr. Sanderson, of the 

 Worcester West Society, in the chair. 



Present : Messrs. Agassiz, Baker, Bassett, Blair, Boise, Brown, 

 Bull, Clement, Cole, Durfee, Fearing, Hubbard, Johnson, King, 

 Knowlton, Loring, Moore, Morton, Porter, Sanderson, Slade, 

 Stone, Thatcher, Thompson, Ward and Watkins. 



The Essay upon Amending Soils by Mechanical Means was 

 then presented again by Mr. Sanderson, and accepted. 



The Essay presented by Mr. Slade, upon Small Fruit Culture, 

 was read a second time by its title and adopted. 



An Essay was then presented upon 



C O lil M E R C I A L MANURES. 



BY ASA CLEMENT. 



The Committee appointed to consider and report upon " com- 

 mercial manures " have devoted some time to the collection of 

 facts pertaining to the subject, and in learning the experience 

 of others, which we desire to relate, together with a portion of 

 our own transactions in that direction. We will first state, 

 however, that the duty has not been in all respects an agreeable 

 one ; for while we desire to discourage no one from using any 

 material which will increase the amount of the products of the 

 soil, we have deemed it just to state some things which would 

 seem to bear against the use of such fertilizers, if it is not borne 

 in mind that it is the spurious articles alone against which we 

 enter our protest. That our markets abound in adulterated 

 materials, for which the claim to purity and genuineness is set 

 up, no one will deny who has had experience in the purchase 

 and use of the various fertilizers offered for sale. 



To such an extent have unprincipled manufacturers, and, in 

 some instances, vendors, gone in their swindling operations, that 

 it has become a question whether, on the whole, farmers to-day 

 would not be better off had they let commercial fertilizers 

 entirely alone. 



36 



