2 N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 278 



for sale Avithin this state shall be accompanied by a 

 plainly printed statement, clearly and truly certifying 

 the number of net pounds of fertilizer in the package, the 

 name, brand or trademark under which the fertilizer is 

 sold, the name and address of the manufacturer or im- 

 porter, the location of the factory, and a chemical analy- 

 sis stating the minimum percentage of nitrogen, of water 

 soluble potash and of available phosphoric acid expressed 

 in whole numbers. 



The following new section 1-a has been enacted: No 

 fertilizer or fertilizer material containing the three 

 essential fertilizing elements nitrogen, potash and phos- 

 phoric acid may be sold or offered for sale if the total 

 minimum plant food nutrients contained therein is less 

 than fourteen per cent by weight, provided however that 

 natural animal and bird manures shall be excepted from 

 the provisions of this section. 



The chief purpose of the fertilizer law is to protect 

 the consumer against the low grade products which 

 would doubtless soon appear upon the market if the dis- 

 tribution and sale of fertilizer was not under state regula- 

 tion. The value of a fertilizer depends on its content of 

 available plant food, i. e., nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 

 potash. The presence of these constituents can only be 

 determined by a chemical analysis. To insure that these 

 constituents are being furnished bj' the manufacturer in 

 guaranteed amounts it is necessary that each brand of 

 fertilizer offered for sale be officially inspected and ana- 

 lyzed one or more times each year, AVhen failure to meet 

 the guarantee is proven by chemical analysis the prosecu- 

 tion or seizure provisions of the law ma}' be invoked. 

 The state official charged with the administration of the 

 fertilizer law is the Commissioner of Agriculture. All 

 inquiries concerning the law and all matters relative to 

 the registration of brands should be addressed to his 

 office in Concord. 



