The Florida agriculturist., 1883-01-17
Inspection Of Commercial Fer
fillZerS.
n. Wattner in the Florida Dispatch.

A11lHGISs
J. n WAitner in the Florida Dispatch
The last report of the Commits
sioner OF Agriculture for the State OF
Georgia, furnishes some interesting
items on the Inspection of Commer>
clal Fertilizers. This is a subject on
which our own State should take i'm.
mediate action, and it is respectfully
commended to the attention of the
Legislature, soon to convene.
During the season of 1901, there
were 152,464 tons inspected, which
yielded in fees paid by the seller, the
sum of S76,232 and after deducting
S12,I71.S0 as he actual cost OF the
peration-salaries of chemists, as"
sistants, Inspectors, &c.-the net
balance of $64,060 was turned into
the State Treasury. There was
falling off the next Qast) season in
the use of fertilizers, owing probably
to the severe and protracted 6routh,
extending well into the autumn
months. Still the Treasury received
over $4,000 as The net earnings of
the system.
Just think OF a clear revenue of
$4,000 realized by State for pros
tecting its citizens against fraud. But
this is not all. The honest manutac.
turer is rewarded by the enhanced
popularity of bis goods, while the
impoSter. after the diguises of his
worthless limitations and noxious
compounds are detected and exposed,
is forced to seek some other field for
his swindllng operations.
A thorough analysis, by disclosing
the commercial value Of the coustit>
uents of the manure. guards against
SnorSitAnt lysll'css, ond enables the
consumer, the farmer, TO select with
confidence the particular brand re-
quired.
In the absence of authentic regis
try, it is difficult to ascertain the exact
quantity Of commercial fertilizers
brought into the State within the
past year. According to the most
reliable estimates, the number OF
tons ranges from 10000 to $4,000.
Suppose 1t to be 10000. BY the
Georgia schedule oe taxes and ex-
pepses, this quantity would yield in
fees the sum OF Sc, 900. Deduct $500
to cover the cost of inspection, and
there remains net balance OF $4,000,
not to be paid into the Treasury of
the State, as is done in Georgia, but
to constitute fund tor the purposes
to be developed further on. 1t may
strike the reader as being better in
these initial proceedings, to appro-
pirate larger per cent. or perhaps
the entire earnings Tor the support
OF the inspecting Department, 1t
amounts to the same thing, in fact,
as will be seen, and obviates the me-
cessity OF changes in legislation after
wards.
For reasons constantly tending to
that end, chief among which is the
large accession annually made TO the
ranks OF vegetable and truit-growers,
it is obvious that the consumption OF
commercial fertilizers will be greatly
augmented another season. And that
their use would be further stimulus
ted by the removal OF all doubt as to
purity and genuineness, is also clear.
Consequently, with an Inspecting
Department in successful operation,
1t would not be unreasonable to ex-
pect an income Of more than $12, 900.
Sach sum would wipe out all in
debtedness Incurred to set the scheme
in motion, and leave a handsome bal
ance to the credit OF the inspection
fund. 70 accomplish this desirable
result, 25,G00 tons OF commercial ma
nures would suffice, whether import
ed or manufactured in the State. In
few years the revenue from this
source will equal that OF Georgia,
and exceed Ii. The very nature ct
our products--their greater value
together with the rapidly widening
area of cultivation, warrants the seem
lDgly bold assertion.
No State in the Union offers in-
ducements for extensive farming sVS