62 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



and clothing. He is handling those things which touch the 

 well-being of a nation, those things which should be dealt 

 with by businesslike and well-ordered methods. Let the 

 patent medicine dealer go his own way, with his miraculous 

 and im})ossible cures ; but let those engaged in a worthier 

 and more useful calling discard distortion and all highly 

 colored ways of calling public attention to their goods, and 

 take their place alongside other men who are trading in 

 staple commodities. Only in this way will the retail fer- 

 tilizer trade everywhere regain and maintain the standing 

 which rightfully belongs to it. 



The trade names of mixed fertilizers should claim a share 

 of our attention, and very properly in this connection, 

 because these names are involved in the advertising methods 

 which we have discussed. Let me give you a few illustra- 

 tions, taken from Bulletin No. 107 of the New York Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station : " Pointer Brand," " Farmer's 

 New Method," "Hustler," "Defiance," "King Philip," "Gold 

 Brand," "Matchless," "Composition," "Phoenix," "Reaper," 

 " Great Eastern," " Success," "Dragon's Tooth," " Cyclone," 

 "Pride of America," "Domestic," "Golden Sheaf,'" " Great 

 Value," "High Farming," "Farmer's Benefit," "Pioneer," 

 and numerous others equally ridiculous. But, you say, 

 " Why meddle with these names ? That's the business of 

 the manufacturer, and if he is satisfied, why should we 

 complain ? " We protest against such names of the quack 

 order, not so much because they hurt the manufacturer, as 

 because they injure the trade by placing it in a false light. 

 They bring it to the level of the traffic in nostrums. Every 

 farmer instinctively recognizes the fact that they are the 

 result of an attempt to attract his attention and his cash by 

 high-sounding words that hint of wonderful results which 

 are not to be realized. He quickly notes the counterfeit 

 ring of insincerity and exaggeration that belongs to all such 

 efibrts to win his confidence, and he is therefore prone to 

 conclude that he is dealing with parties the truth of whose 

 statements may need verifying. 



Fertilizer manufiicturers often complain that they are 

 unjustly accused of planning to defraud the public, and 

 assert that their business is as honorably conducted as 



