58 BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. [Pub. Doc. 



ious in his methods of disposing of his wares than has the 

 manufacturer of superphosphates. As a result, the use of 

 commercial fertilizers has become widely distributed, and 

 from year to year has rapidly increased. Am I not war- 

 ranted in declaring that in this way the fertilizer trade has 

 been stimulated in the country into unnatural proportions, 

 — that is, into proportions inconsistent with the possible 

 home supply of plant food and with the ability of the far- 

 mer to buy judiciously and use wisely superphosphates at 

 thirty to forty dollars per ton ? 



It is but fair to say, however, that a great majority of 

 the farmers must have become convinced that commercial 

 plant food was a source of profit to them, otherwise its 

 use would have diminished, instead of increased. V^e 

 are not disposed to question the fact that profit has thus 

 accrued, with the prices which have in the past prevailed, 

 even if the methods of buying have been of the loosest 

 and most irrational kind. Shall we continue to do as we 

 have done ? is the question to which we now address our- 

 selves. 



In order to properly consider the relations in which the 

 farmer stands to the commercial fertilizer trade, and the 

 changes which we believe should occur in the methods that 

 now prevail, it is necessary to consider the prominent and 

 in some respects unique features of this trade. 



We remark, first, that it is the only trade that is under 

 close chemical control in nearly every State of the Union 

 where such a trade exists, except possibly the sale of milk. 

 In all of our eastern and middle States there exist laws for 

 the inspection of commercial fertilizers ; and in every such 

 State it is the duty of the experiment station or some ofii- 

 cial organization to see that the provisions of this law are 

 properly executed. Manufacturers of fertilizers often com- 

 plain that it is unfair to select them as the objects of such 

 close scrutiny, and allow dealers in other commodities to 

 take their chances with the public, without any trammel 

 whatever. Undoubtedly there is some force in this ob- 

 jection. There is no question but that foods, drugs, seeds 

 and other commercial articles are fraudulent and deceptive 

 to an extent which calls for legal supervision. This would 



