190 . °. Report or THE DIRECTOR OF THE 
The amount of analytical work involved in carrying out the 
provisions of this law is so great that it is practically impossible 
to do any work which is unofficial and of the general nature of 
private work, as analysis of individual samples of fertilizers, of 
muck, marls, minerals or mineral waters, adulterated foods, 
suspected cases of poisoning and so forth, except so far as such | 
analyses may partake of a public nature. 
Very many samples of soils and feeds also are sent to the 
Station for analysis, often by those who have little knowledge of 
the amount of work involved in such analyses, and yet while 
such analyses are purely of a private character, like the analyses 
of many of the samples of phosphates, ashes and so forth, sent 
by individuals from a small lot purchased by them, it was 
customary to comply with such requests so far as possible until 
now, when the official work devolving upon the chemists forbids | 
hope that until our chemical force is largely increased such 
private work, however desirable, can in future receive attention. 
Often, however, a very slight examination or simple inspection 
will suffice to enable a correct conclusion concerning a sample, 
as of minerals, ores, marls and so forth, and parties are therefore 
requested to.make inquiries concerning such matters, since a 
letter in reply is often all that is needed. To all such informa- 
tion in possession of the Director or his assistants the public are 
welcome, but at present anything requiring extended analysis 
must be put aside. 
The Commercial Valuation of Fertilizers. 

Owing to the constant application for information concerning 
this matter it seems best to reproduce practically what has been 
already said upon this subject, since the Station is almost daily in 
receipt of letters asking for a money valuation upon a certain. 
fertilizer, the analysis of which is properly guaranteed and upon 
inspection found to contain the amount of each constituent as 
guaranteed. The fertilizer law of this State, as will be seen, 
neither requires such valuation to be made nor does it forbid such — 
valuation, and we have published, from time to time, the scale of 
prices per pound for each of the constituents in the various forms — 
in which these constituents are found for sale in the leading © 
markets of the country, so that the analysis of any fertilizer 
