REPORT OF DIRECTOR. 



A. W. Harris. Ph. D., President Maine State College: 



Sir:— I submit herewith a report of the work of the Maine Ex- 

 periment Station for the year 1895. 



It is gratifying to note that the scope and influence of the work 

 of the station are increasing yearly. This is caused in part by new 

 legislation affecting the station and in part by the fact that 

 scientific appliances and information are becoming more and more a 

 necessary factor of successful agriculture. Not only are the difficult 

 questions of current agriclutural practice largely referred to science 

 for an answer ,rather than to popular beliefs as formerly was the case, 

 but there is a pressing demand that the boundaries of knowledge be 

 enlarged in matters pertaining to agriculture. Besides, the scientist, 

 especially the chemist, is now being charged with the execution of 

 laws affecting the farmer's interests. In all these directions the 

 Maine Station has been more or less active. 



Fertilizer Inspection. 



As has been stated in previous reports, it has been found that 

 an analysis fee of $15 for each brand of fertilizer sold in the State 

 to the extent of thirty tons or more is not sufficient to pay the 

 expenses involved in an official inspection according to the terms 

 of the law. Accordingly the legislature of 1895 was asked to so 

 amend the law that the analysis fee should be $20 for each brand sold 

 to the extent of ten tons or more. 



The change in the analysis fee was secured, but through a clerical 

 or other error, the thirty ton limit was retained. It now appears 

 that the receipts from analysis fees will just about coA'er the proper 

 expenses of a painstaking execution of the law. The indications 

 are at this time that more brands of fertilizers will be sold in 1896 

 than ever before. Old companies are increasing the number of brands 

 they are offering and new companies are entering the State. Confu- 

 sion is being added to confusion, and the day of a rational fertilizer 

 trade appears to be as far away as ever. The number of brands pay- 

 ing a fee for 1896 probably will not be far from eighty, while the 

 brands offered for sale in the State will undoubtedly considerably 



