64 P:XPERIMENT station. [Jan. 



Wood Aslies. — Thirteen samples of wood ashes have been- 

 analyzed, of which 1 was deficient in potash and 2 in phos- 

 phoric acid, although none of the samples showed a commercial 

 shortage. Three samples put out by H, C. Green & Co., im- 

 porters, were simply guaranteed " Pure wood ashes." The 

 agent for three ears of these ashes, Ross Bros. Company, 

 Worcester, Mass., stated that the ashes were of such j)oor qual- 

 ity that no charge would be made for them. Under present 

 conditions of price and quality, the purchase of wood ashes is 

 of questionable economy. They should never be bought with- 

 out a guarantee of potash, phosphoric acid and lime. 



Ground Bock. — The Farmhood Corporation of Boston, 

 Mass., has offered a product called " Farmfood " which is un- 

 questionably a ground mineral. It was guaranteed 2 per cent, 

 phosphoric acid and 5 per cent, potash, both " in bond," mean- 

 ing presumably associated with silica and not soluble. An 

 analysis reveals the presence of 2.55 per cent, phosphoric acid, 

 of which only .38 per cent, was available (dissolved by neutral 

 citrate of ammonia). Only .56 per cent, of potash was found 

 soluble in boiling water, and only .06 per cent, was found solu- 

 ble in dilute hydrochloric acid. The commercial value of the 

 product was $1.65 per ton, which would hardly pay cartage. 



The New England ]\Iineral Fertilizer Company ^ of Boston, 

 Mass., has put out a product called " New England mineral 

 fertilizer," which is apparently largely ground rock. The ma- 

 terial was guaranteed .23 per cent. ]ihosphoric acid and 1.50 per 

 cent, potash. Our analysis showed .18 per cent, phosphoric 

 acid, .10 per cent, water-soluble potash and .35 ])er cent, potash 

 soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid. The plant food in a ton 

 of this materia] is valued at 24 cents, although $17 is the adver- 

 tised price in ton lots. Aside from the guarantee of potash and 

 phosphoric acid, the firm makes a claim for a given percentage 

 of soda, lime, magnesia, iron, sulfur, silica, chlorine and 

 alumina. Although some of these elements are essential to the 

 growth of ]ilants, yet they are found in most soils in sufficient 

 quantities to meet the needs of growing vegetation, so that they 



' The New England Mineral Fertilizer Company, 19 Exchange Place, Boston, should not be 

 confused with the New England Fertilizer Company, 40 North Market Street, Boston. The 

 latter is an old company which has done business in Massachusetts for many years, and disclaims 

 any connection with the New England Mineral Fertilizer Company, 



