No. 4.] COMMERCIAL PLANT FOOD. 59 



now be true of the fertilizer trade to an unheard-of degree, 

 had it not been phiccd under close scrutiny. We know of 

 no commodity, involving an equal expenditure of money, 

 where it is so easy to deceive the i)urchaser and so difficult 

 for the purchaser, through the use of the thing bought, to 

 determine whether or not he has been defrauded, as is the 

 case in the fertilizer trade. Whatever may l)e needed in 

 other directions in the way of official supervision of trade, 

 it is now generally conceded by the more intelligent and 

 agricultural public and by the great majority of fertilizer 

 manufacturers that official inspection is l)eneficial to both 

 parties. 



A forciJde illustration of the value cf such close super- 

 vision of the fertilizer trade has come to my attention 

 in New York, where a material advertised as "natural 

 plant food" has been forced upon the attention of our 

 farmers. We found samples of it in the market, and after 

 the farmers who had bought it discovered that it failed to 

 increase the crop returns as they had a right to expect from 

 the advertised statements, they began to appeal to us for 

 information. Our investigations made it plain th:it the 

 mixture w\as chiefly Florida soft phosphate, combined with 

 a small proportion of a potash mineral known as glauconite, 

 — materials of some value when used judiciously, but worth 

 greatly less commercially than the price at which the fertil- 

 izer was selling. We regarded the matter of sufficient 

 importance to be made the subject of a bulletin, and hope 

 we have checked the sale of this fertilizer at the price 

 asked. 



Not only is the fertilizer trade under control in most 

 States, but these laws differ widely in their provisions and 

 requirements. Some States require no license, some col- 

 lect an analysis fee on each brand, some exact a tax on the 

 business as a whole and some assess a tonnage tax. 



The required markings on the bags are unlike in the 

 several States also, as well as the written guarantees 

 which must be deposited in the office of the inspector. 

 There are other differences, which, together with those 

 mentioned, constitute an annoyance and expense to even 

 the best disposed dealer. I do not blame these business 



