ports twice a year, April 1st and November 1st, stating the total number of tons sold. The following is a summary of the reports rendered for 1913 and 1914:— The work of inspection and the collection of samples usually starts about March 1st and our inspectors were prepared to commence the work at this date but were delayed on account of the severe snowstorm. In arranging the itinerary for the inspectors, the southern part of the State is the starting point since the fertilizers are found there earlier in the season than in other sections of the State. As the season advances the shipments are to be found in the other sections. This year, on account of the storm, when the shipments from the factories started they appeared in different sections at the same time, and as a result some confusion was caused by the itinerary which had been prepared. The different sections of the State were carefully looked after, however, and we feel confident that samples of practically all of the different brands were collected. During the inspection every county in the State was visited, and a total of 1,500 samples was secured in duplicate. These samples represented the stock of 523 dealers and consumers. The results of the inspection, with the exception of a few analyses of unofficial samples of mixed goods which were reported directly to those submitting the samples, were published in Bulletins 272 and 274. The samples examined and reported are as follows: 610 samples of commercial fertilizers, 24 samples of commercial fertilizers (duplicate), 32 samples of commercial fertilizers (unofficial), 12 samples of home mixtures, 38 samples of miscellaneous mixtures, 130 samples of fertilizer materials, 43 samples of ground bone, 46 samples of sundry materials, 935 total samples.. The analyses of the above required about 12,760 separate determinations. Wholesale Prices of the Essential Elements of Plant. Food for 1913. The wholesale prices of the unmixed or raw materials, used in preparing the mixed fertilizers, are quoted weekly in the trade journal, "The Oil, Paint & Drug Reporter.' In order to express the figures given as prices per pound of actual plant-food which is the form adopted by the Experiment Stations of this country, the quotations have been recalculated and tabulated for the entire year. On account of the fact that the report of the Station is made on October 30th of each year, the prices that have been tabulated are for the year 1913. Schedule of Trade Values for 1914. As the manufacturers probably place most of their contracts for raw materials near the close of the year, the quotations for the last four months of 1913 and the first two months of 1914 have been considered as a more suitable basis for the determination of the trade values for 1914. Taking these wholesale prices as a basis, the following schedule of cents per pound prices of various materials was arranged at a meeting of the Station directors and chemists for use in the New England States and New Jersey during the season of 1914. Nitrogen in nitrates, 16.5; in ammonium salts, 16.5. Organic nitrogen in fine* ground fish, meat and blood, 22.5; in cotton-seed meal and castor pomace, 22.5; in fine bone and tankage, 21.5; in mixed fertilizers, 19.5; in coarse* bone and tankage, 17.5. Phosphoric acid, soluble in water, * "Fine" signifies such as will pass through a sieve with circular holes 1-50 of an inch in diameter and "coarse" such as will not. 4.5; soluble in ammonium citrate, 4.0; in fine* bone and tankage, 4.0; in cotton-seed meal and castor pomace, 4.0; in coarse* bone, tankage and ashes, 3.5; insoluble in water and ammonium citrate, 2.0. Potash in highgrade sulphate, and in forms free from muriate (chlorides), 5.0; in Muriate, 4.0; in cotton-seed meal and castor pomace, 5.0. Results of the Inspection. The average amounts of plant-food guaranteed and delivered in the six hundred and ten (610) brands which were reported in Bulletins Nos. 272 and 274 are as follows: Nitrogen as nitrates, Average Average 1.02 The above tabulation shows that the fertilizers examined on the average contained more actual plant-food than was guaranteed. A study of the individual analyses will show that in order to obtain this average some of the brands exceeded the guarantees, while other brands fell short, some in one element, some in two elements and in a few cases all three elements were deficient. One hundred and eighty-six brands examined fully satisfied every guarantee given, and 234 brands substantially satisfied the guarantees. There were 63 brands deficient in nitrogen, 92 brands deficient in phosphoric acid and 49 deficient in potash, making a total of 204 deficiencies. The deficiencies were distributed in 188 brands, or 30.8 per cent. of the number examined, 174 being deficient in one element, 12 in two elements and two brands deficient in all three of the elements. Comparing these figures with those reported last year, we find that the results obtained this year show more deficiencies than found in 1913 when 28 per cent. of the brands was found in the deficient class. There are many problems connected with the fertilizer question which cannot be solved until a careful chemical examination is made of the particular product or the results have been obtained in the field. As it may be impossible to secure the desired information when needed, it is often necessary to depend upon the guaranteed analysis. of the fertilizer as well as the reputation of the manufacturer. At the time of purchasing fertilizers the main question, under the present conditions, is in regard to the character of the nitrogen content, since the character of available phosphoric acid and water soluble potash needs no consideration other than the amount guaranteed and the record of the manufacturer. Knowledge of the character of the nitrogen content is a very important matter, since the guarantee of the total nitrogen is the only information given in the guarantee and it may be derived from nitrate of soda, sulphate ammonia, high grade organic materials, low grade organic materials or a combination of them. The availability of the nitrogen content will, therefore, depend upon the material used in preparing the mixture. In the brands examined this year, 520 brands contained nitrogen in the form of nitrate or ammonia salts; 208 brands contained nitrate nitrogen; 465 contained ammonia salts and 153 contained both of these forms. There is no question regarding the high availability of nitrogen in either of these forms. The organic nitrogen may be present in three forms, viz.:-water soluble, active insoluble and inactive insoluble. The water soluble form of organic nitrogen is, undoubtedly, an available form of nitrogen, but the portion that is insoluble in water should be carefully investigated and if the results secured by the method in use in this State, and various other States, show that the active insoluble nitrogen is present in larger proportions than the inactive insoluble, it may be safely assumed that the organic nitrogen is derived entirely, or very largely, from material of good availability. If the inactive insoluble equals or exceeds the active insoluble, the organic nitrogen is derived, in part at least, from an inert material. A study of the detailed analyses will show that 140 of the brands. examined contained an inert form of nitrogen. The availability of the insoluble nitrogen in these brands ranged from 24 to 55 per cent. and the character of the materials used in these mixtures may be compared with the following figures which were obtained by the use of the same chemical method when applied to different materials known to be used in the manufacture of fertilizers: Dried blood, high grade tankage, fish, 69-76 per cent; cotton-seed meal, medium tankage, bone meal, 55-67 per cent; leather preparations, 13-59 per cent; garbage tankage and peat, 23-41 per cent. Summary of Results. The following tabulation gives the names and addresses of the manufacturers of complete fertilizers whose brands have been examined this year, as well as a summary of the results obtained. In tabulating these results a deficiency of 0.20 per cent. in the total nitrogen and of 0.30 per cent. in phosphoric acid and potash have been disregarded. |