278 Report oF THE CHEMIST OF THE 
' INTRODUCTION. 
NUMBER AND KINDS OF FERTILIZERS COLLECTED. 
During the entire year of 1898, we collected 1,427 samples of 
commercial fertilizers, representing 901 different brands. It isa 
matter of interest to notice to what extent dealers offer for sale 
complete fertilizers (those containing nitrogen, phosphoric acid 
and potash), compared with those containing only one or two of 
these ingredients. It is also of interest to consider the different 
forms in which incomplete fertilizers are offered for sale. The 
following tabulated statement indicates the different kinds of com- 
plete and incomplete fertilizers collected during the year. 
CLASSES OF FERTILIZERS COLLECTED IN 1898. 
id 





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i BE SB 8paod 893 gS. 
aa aS a A _8% age. Sas 
= © Pu fie =| Aerie | om gs om AE (0) 
Soo S Oy So S 06 Sus o EN 
ro) Dn Pom--| - +2 UC = 8 oo: 
qd [= ia) ar qa 2m aad V6 Om 
1898. ox 0.4 o° ORO O8ae o°S 
oa 06, oO & ors 3 Ca os 5 
a. n nr noe fo Cae now 
Leo Leas oS ho sok oer OS Cus oe 
aa A'S 5 =i) AS an Aogs AQS 
ae Soe s SS ak SAn5 2A 
~Q —Q —Q a aa —Q 
Spring collection. 8 44 7 47 55 578 
Fall collection.. 12 5 23 ELL 
Total for year. 14 56 12 52 78 689 


In the spring collection 78 per cent of the brands offered for 
sale consisted of complete fertilizers; in the fall, 68.5 per cent, 
and during the year an average of 76.5 per cent. Of unmixed 
materials, phosphoric acid was offered much more largely than 
nitrogen or potash, the average for the year being about 8 per 
cent of all brands offered. A smaller number containing phos- 
phoric acid and nitrogen was found. It will be seen that the 
mixture of phosphoric acid and potash was quite largely used, 
averaging for the year over 11 per cent of all the brands collected. 
-- COMPOSITION OF FERTILIZERS COLLECTED IN 1898. 
The tabulated statement below shows the average composition 
of the complete fertilizers collected during the year, together 
with a comparison of the guaranteed composition and that found 
by analysis. 
