16 MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



No one who is familiar with the published list of fertilizers 

 that are sold in several states can have failed to notice, not only 

 that there is great multiplicity of brands, but that the names of 

 the various mixed fertilizers indicate that they are to be used for 

 special purposes. We have fertilizers for no special purpose, but 

 for general use, those for corn, for potatoes, for grain, for fruit, 

 for lawns, for top dressing, for seeding down and for various 

 other purposes, if we may regard the names as meaning anything. 

 It is not known to what extent farmers give attention to these 

 names, but it is hoped that they have already learned that they 

 are largely a trade expedient by means of which manufacturers 

 hope to increase their sales. To be sure, potato manure usually 

 contains more than an average amount of potash, and seeding 

 down manures more than the ordinary percentage of insoluble 

 phosphoric acid, but this signifies nothing when we find how slight 

 the difference is between certain corn fertilizers and certain potato 

 "phosphates." These fertilizers are not compounded in accordance 

 with any well defined principle. 



No facts are known with regard to the composition of soils or 

 the nutrition of plants which warrant the use of less phosphoric 

 acid and more of nitrogen and potash in a fertilizer for beans 

 than in one for potatoes, as is done in one case. In fact, if we 

 are to judge this matter of special fertilizers by the composition 

 of these goods as we find them in the market, the whole thing 

 appears to be farcical or a species of humbuggery. It is just as 

 sensible to buy some corn manures for use on potatoes, and some 

 potato manures for use on corn as it is to apply them in accor- 

 dance with their names. The great and controlling factor which 

 should determine what fertilizers are to be purchased is the needs 

 of the soil, and each farmer should purchase manure rich in potash 

 or poor in potash, according to the teaching of his experience. 



The Quality of the Nitrogenous Material in the Super 

 phosphates sold in maine. 



In 1889, this Experiment Station tested the quality of the or- 

 ganic nitrogenous material found in the fertilizers sold in Maine, 

 using the only method which appears to promise fairly reliable 

 results. 



There was published in connection with the results of the work 

 of that year an explanation of the needs and methods of such a 

 test, part of which is reproduced in this connection. 



