INSPECTIONS FOR 1897. 



Ckas. D. Woods. 



The station officers take pains to obtain for analysis samples 

 of all commercial fertilizers and concentrated commercial feed- 

 ing stuffs coming under the law, but the organized co-operation 

 of farmers is essential for the full and timely protection of their 

 interests. Granges and other organizations can render efficient 

 aid by sending early in the season, samples taken from stock in 

 the market and drawn in accordance with the station directions 

 for sampling. 



There is no provision made by law for the analysis of agri- 

 cultural seeds. Seeds, taken in accordance with the station 

 directions for sampling, will be examined for $1 per sample. 



Directions for sampling and blanks for forwarding samples of 

 fertilizers, feeding stuffs and seeds will be sent on application. 



FERTILIZER INSPECTION. 



The marked increase in the number of brands of fertilizers 

 offered is a misfortune. The multiplication of brands adds to 

 the confusion of the consumer and is an expense and inconven- 

 ience to the manufacturer. Although the number of brands 

 offered in this State is small compared with those offered in 

 Massachusetts or Xew York, it is far too large. There has 

 been a steady increase since 1894 of about 20 brands a year. 



About one-third of the brands of fertilizers sold in the State 

 were, under the law of 1893, exempt from the payment of the 

 analysis fee, as the manufacturers claimed sales of less than 

 thirty tons a year for these brands. The law required, how- 

 ever, that these non-paying brands should be inspected, conse- 

 quently it was possible for a manufacturer, by selling a small 

 amount of a large number of brands, to increase the work of 

 inspection entirely out of proportion to the analysis fees paid. 



