The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-11-30

the three hundred working days of the
year--lG5 analyses per day, or Al per
hour, or to every IA minutes. Or, If we
give to Richmond, Petersburg, Norfolk,
Lynchburg, Alexandria, Fredericksburg
and Winchester, the six principal
distributing cities one inspecting chem.
ist each, and each distributes the
same quantity, then each must analyze ~
samples day, or two per hour, or one in
every thirty minutes. Does any one say
there is no occasion to anaIyze so many ?
But the analysis of only thirty-four sam
pies by Professor Way shows a variation
in ammoniacal ingredients running from
1882 down to 1919 per cent.-a range OF
3Gper cent.-and in phosphate compounds,
from 34.45 down to l9.4G per cent.
"a range of fifty per cent. And
Professor Johnson found, in one of
two small portions taken at random
from box of 20 pounds weight, a varia-
ton in phosphates of SO per cent.--and in
water, salts of ammonia and organic mat
tiers, variation of 90 per cent. You
must, then, be searching. The manufac-
turer himself, if man of common pru-
dence, will demand it. He will not risk
prosecution and forfeiture, nor stake his
character and brand upon casual or an
average examination.
But the charge will be heavier than have
supposed. Consider the character of the
warehouse, the character Of the package,
the nature of the substance, and we shall
see that the charge cannot be less than o.
per ton, or fourteen times the land tax
under which we groan.
But if you do not warehouse then you
take samples, always in duplicate. You
fling bags about like baggage smasher.
rip open bags. injure the package. How
is the chemist to select personally twenty
seven samples per day-(at the busy sea-
son it will he three times that numher)-
mix them, label and seal them in original
and duplicate, analyze them and keep them
separate? When will he return the sam
Piles analvzed, and what will it amount to
after he has done it?
Clea'ly, if you decide that you will at
tempt TO enforce such law, the warehouse
system with the laboratory combined is
the best. And that takes such pains to
get a genuine article that nobody can afford
to use it. You take an exhausted patient
needing tonic and sustenance, and for
every mouthful he eats you draw blood. IF
he will not be bled, then you deny his
food.
Now you will need not less than six
chelnists-each at salary of $4,000 per
annum, with an Office and chemicals.
Where will you find so many? How
shall they be appointed? BY tho Legisla-
ture, or tho Governor-each besieged
by hungry partisans whose services this
will be cheap way to reward or secure !?
This has been the case always. By the
Farmers Convention? What do they
know about it? Will their precincts be
sacred from the proclamation of the in
triguer? But suppose suit? Is your
chemists dctum to be final? The defend
ants will have their chemists too, and we
will see in the matter of fertilizers the
same differences of opinion that we have
witnessed so frequently Of late in the mat
ter of poisons.
English farmers use guano and other
fertilizers in vastly greater quantities than
we do. They ransack the globe for guano
and phosphates. They get dried fish from
South America, dried fish from Long Is
land at e45 per ton cash from the ships
sides. In the face of far greater frauds
than VIC contend against, they use an un-
usually increasing quantity. But they
have never dreamed of an inspection Of
guano. They have chemist experts
to whom they refer cases in dis
pute, on whom they consult when they
wish to buy fertilizer Of whose nature
they are not well assured.
The speaker then referred to the causes
of dissatisfaction and the causes of fraud,
and said something ought to be done, il
possible, to remove them. AS he had OBJ
jected to the plan proposed, it might be
thought his duty to offer plan. He did SO
with reluctance, because he did SO under
disadvantages same which beset us all
here and he had no wish to lead, or shine,
or to announce plan which might provoke
opposition or tempt debates for which he
was not prepared. The first difficulty is
that this Convention is not q deliberate
body in any sense. Let us not deceive
ourselves with any such idea. We have
none, or but the slightest general
acquaintance with each other; We
have had no time nor opportu.
nifty to compare views, to fit into one an.
other, to take the soundings and bearings
of each others minds. We have no ey.
perience in deliberations on legislation. We
have no acknowledged leaders in any ont
scheme. But all these are necessary tc
wise conclusions. 1t seems TO me that VIC
should not attend exclusively to one thing
but look at our whole condition and ia
surroundings.
The speaker referred to the effects of fer
tilzers on immigration, and on the energy
of the people. He also spoke Of the lier
laws of the Southern States and the manner
in which they worked. One bank il
Georgia advanced at one time 81 10000
! in fertilizers alone.
In CONCLUSION, Colonel Ruffin stated tina
he had no wish to detract from the author
ity of the committee or to do anything
unpleasant to their feelings, but though
the Convention should revise its previou
action.
The first resolution was then adopted.
DR.. Hurt said he was more than eve
convinced that fertilizers should be manu-
featured by parties who are known and re
sponsible. lie opposed the second resc
luton, asking for a lien law, as ruinous an
disastrous to the farmers, who would Sc
themselves to the merchants and mani
facturers.
The hour of O'Clock having arrived til
Convention adjourned until 4 P. N.
VIRGINIA NEWS.