FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
131 
did not procure a fair sample of any 
goods. The law itself designates how 
samples shall be taken and inspectors com¬ 
ply with its requirements. 
Nearly all the states have a fertilizer 
law which embodies about the provisions 
of our official sample, but very few have 
the special sample. Under the Florida 
law, the consumer may, under proper 
safeguards, have samples of his goods 
analyzed by the State chemist. We think 
this provision of the law affords an addi¬ 
tional protection to the honest manufac¬ 
turer and to the consumer, which can 
not be had by the official sample alone; 
and accounts in a good measure for the 
excellence of the fertilizer sold in this 
state during the past years. 
Another fact which contributes to the 
efficiency of the fertilizer law is the rep¬ 
resentatives of /the different fertilizer 
companies. If there are goods on sale 
below the analysis printed on the guar¬ 
antee tags, agents of other companies are 
quick to dscover it and take advantage 
thereof. 
Finally, as evidence of the status of 
the fertilizer trade during the year 1908, 
I incorporate in my paper the facts set 
forth in the annual report of the state 
chemist, wherein he says: “The average 
of 127 complete fertilizers was: 
Ammonia .3.82 p. c. 
Available Phos. Acid (P2O5). 6.94 p. c. 
Potash (K2O) .7.08 p. c. 
The average state value of the 127 sam¬ 
ples of complete fertilizer was $28.82 per 
ton. The average price of the various 
brands sold throughout the state was 
$33.04 per ton an excess over state val¬ 
ues of $4.22 per ton.” 
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF PLANT FOODS. 
By Mrs. N. M. G. Prange. 
I am asked to continue an account of 
my study of plant foods and to tell how 
it has benefited me practically. I can 
not tell just how much practical good I 
have gained. The greater benefit from 
such things conies in indirect ways and 
I know my life is broader, my enjoy¬ 
ment has been greater, my interest keen¬ 
er—all my faculties more alert, because 
of this study, and a wide-awake person 
is likely to get his share of the dollars 
and cents. I have not tried to become 
a scientist, nor have I experimented with 
the idea of “adding (?) to the world’s 
knowledge.” This last is a dangerous 
and expensive proceeding for a beginner. 
My aim is first to learn and understand 
things that have been learned by others, 
to acquire what I can of what has been 
gathered through many years, by many 
men of many minds; after which I hope 
to use some judgment in selecting the 
methods that are adapted to my situation. 
He who criticizes “book farming' 
