BULLETIN No. 209. 



NEW MINERAL FERTILIZER.* 



Qias. D. Woods. 



For the past three years a material called at first New Eng- 

 land Mineral Fertilizer and later New Mineral Fertilizer has 

 been extensively advertised in New England. This advertis- 

 ing is of the persuasive kind and has led and may lead to still 

 further sales at about three quarters of a cent a pound of a 

 material which in its composition is exactly what they claim it 

 to be, ground rock. It is this likelihood of the money of the 

 farmer going to the coffers of the company for a material that 

 is nearly destitute of available plant food that makes necessary 

 the publication in the following pages of a matter that were it 

 not for the persistent advertising might be disposed of in two- 

 pages or less. In their advertising the Company keeps within 

 the existing laws of this State. If a bill aimed against false and 

 misleading advertising that is now being considered by the 

 Maine Legislature should be enacted into law it is possible that 

 something might be done. But that is doubtful, for their ad- 

 vertising is ingenious and guarded. For example, they com- 

 pare the analysis of the ground rock they call New Mineral 

 Fertilizer with the analysis of a soil that produces good crops 

 and point out the resemblances. They do not dwell upon the 

 differences. They have the same kind of testimonials from 

 users that are so familiar to the reader of patent medicine ad- 

 vertisements. But many have found the use of the goods dis- 

 appointing with results similar to those here reported. Such 

 instances are not reported in the company's advertisements. 



* This experiment was planned by the writer. The field work was 

 executed under the direction of Mr. Sinclair. The notes were taken 

 by Mr. Bonns. 



