APPENDIX. 131 



BULLETIN No. 18.** 



INSPECTION OF FERTILIZERS, 1895. 



W. H. Jordan, Director. 



J. M. Baktlett, L. H. Merrill, Chemists. 



The Maine Legislature enacted at the session of 1893, a new law 



for the regulation of the sale and analysis of commercial fertilizers. 



This change of law was sought in order to accomplish two objects: 



1. The providing of funds that can be legally used, sufficient to 

 pay the expenses of a proper inspection. 



2. A provision whereby information as to the composition of the 

 goods offered for sale can be given to the would-be purchaser at an 

 earlier date than has heretofore been possible. 



This law makes the following requirements upon manufacturers, 

 importers or dealers who propose to sell or offer for sale their goods 

 in the State. These briefly stated are: 



1. Marking the bags properly.* 



2. Filing' annually a certificate with the director of the Station 

 giving the manufacturer's or dealer's name, place of business, place 

 of manufacture, name of brand of fertilizer and the guaranteed 

 composition of the same.* 



3. Depositing annually, unless excused by the director under 

 certain conditions, a sample of fertilizer, with an accompanying 

 affidavit that this sample "corresponds within reasonable limits to 

 the fertilizer which it represents." These samples are designated 

 in this bulletin as "manufacturer's samples."* 



4. The annual payment of an analysis fee of fifteen dollars for 

 every brand of complete fertilizer licensed. 



5. All brands of which thirty tons or more are not sold are exempt 

 from the last provision. 



The law also imposes upon the Director of the Maine Agricultural 

 Experiment Station certain duties which are: 



1. The issuing of licenses to such manufacturers as comply with 

 the above named requirements. 



2. The analysis of the samples deposited by the manufacturers. 



3. The selection of samples in the open market of all brands of 

 fertilizers sold or offered for sale in the state, with the subsequent 

 analysis of the samples. 



4. The publication of bulletins or reports, giving the results of 

 the inspection. 



In accordance with the foregoing requirements, eighteen compan- 

 ies representing seventy-two brands of fertilizers have complied with 

 ** Given in part. 



* Notice.— That requirements 1, 2 and 3 apply to all brands of fertilizers, whether 

 thirty.tons are sold or not. 



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