I06 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I913. 



The legislature of 1913 amended the fertilizer law so that 

 after January i, 1914, "Lime, marl or wood ashes intended for 

 fertilizing purposes, and without regard to the price at which 

 it is sold or offered for sale, shall be classed as a commercial 

 fertilizer." All of the requirements and penalties relative to 

 commercial fertilizers apply equally to lime, marl and wood 

 ashes. 



For many years the sale of materials other than mixed goods 

 was so small that no notice was taken of it. As time went on, 

 however, with the propagation of the ideas of home m.ixing, 

 the demand for chemicals increased. For the last few years 

 the most common chemicals such as acid phosphate, ground 

 bone, nitrate of soda and the various potash salts are regularly 

 registered by the companies handling them. In the case chiefly 

 of companies manufacturing in the State it happens that other 

 fertilizing constituents are sold in small amounts and primarily 

 for experimental purpo'ses. While the law is explicit there will 

 until further notice, be no prosecutions made by the Director of 

 the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station for the sale with- 

 out registration O'f small amounts of these more unusual fertiliz- 

 ing constituents, provided the company can show that these 

 goods were sold in good faith for experimental purposes. As a 

 part of the indication that the goods were thus sold it should be 

 explained to the customer exactly under what conditions the 

 goods are sold ; that they are unregistered ; that they have not 

 been or are not likely to be analyzed by the Director of the 

 Maine Experiment Station and that the Director holds himself 

 in no way responsible for the qualiity of these unlicensed goods 

 sold for experimental purposes. Their sale is allowed because 

 the Director does not regard it as tli,e purposes of the law to 

 either hamper ordinary business or hinder experiments on the 

 part of the farmer. Whenever any goods thus offered experi- 

 mentally come to be sold in considerable amount they must be 

 registered the same as other fertilizing materials. 



2. The Brand. Every lot or package shall be plainly marked 

 with : 



The number of net pounds in the package. 



The name or trade mark under which it is sold. 



The name and principal address of the manufacturer or 

 shipper. 



