142 MATXE STATE COLLEGE. 



BULLETIN No. 22. 



INSPECTION OF FEKT1LIZEKS. 



TV. H. Joed ax, Director. 

 J. M. Baetlett, L. H. ^Ieeeell, Chemists. 



This bulletin is the second to be issued during 1 the year 1S95 

 giving a report of the official inspection of fertilizers. The first 

 bulletin, No. IS, -was published on March 9th, and gave the results 

 of the analyses of Manufacturer's Samples. These samples vrere 

 furnished by the manufacturers for inspection accompanied by an 

 affidavit that they Vvere like the goods which they represented 

 "within reasonable limits." 



The samples mentioned in this bulletin are almost wholly those 

 selected by a Station representative at different points in the State 

 from goods which were exposed or offered for sale. These samples 

 were very carefully taken in accordance with the provisions of a 

 law which seeks to guard the rights of the manufacturers, and 

 they certainly represent the particular lots of goods from "which 

 they were selected. 



The main purpose of selecting samples from the various brands 

 of fertilizers as found in the open market is to ascertain if the 

 goods actually on sale meet the requirements of the manufacturer's 

 g-uarantees, and whether the manufacturer's samples, whose analy- 

 ses are published in the Spring bulletin, are to any extent a safe 

 gnide in the purchase of fertilizers. 



The comparison which follows shows very plainly what are the 

 facts. It may be said that on the whole it appears that the manu- 

 facturers intend to deal fairly with the public in the matter of their 

 guarantees, remembering always, of course, that no manufacturer 

 can be held to have guaranteed more than the minimum percent- 

 age in which any ingTedient is stated to be present. 



Notwithstanding certain sarcastic, and we can but believe, un- 

 friendly criticisms, because this Experiment Station decided to 

 drop the system of commercial valuations, there is no present in- 

 tention of receding from that decision. There are already indica- 

 tions that farmers who are disposed to put intelligence into their 

 business "will themselves, through the information furnished by the 

 Station, make such calculations as are necessary for their choice 

 of the brand which they can most economically purchase and "will 

 in that way understand the situation as they could in no other way; 

 and it is obvious that to those farmers who are so careless or un- 

 informed as not to do this, the valuations made by the Station are 

 likely to be nothing but a stumbling block. 



Any system of aiding the farmer which is merely mechanical 

 and which leaves out of account a proper study on his part of the 



