Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-02-08


An article appeared in the Argus q few
days since claiming that while an experiment
tai station is needed to make Investigations
and conduct experiments. it is not called for
to examine fertilizers While the value of
an experiment station for experimental work
is sufficient to commend it to every thought
full individual interested in the well
fare and prosperity of the State, vet at
tention to the matter cannot fail to disclose
the fact of its necessity for the examination
of commercial Fertilizers sold in the State
A fertilizer is valuable for the percentage
of nitrogen, phosphoric acid. and potash there
is in it. There is no other sure test of the
contents than by chemical analysis. At sta
tons where examinations have been conduct
ed, both in this country and in Europe most
outrageous frauds have been detected.
The consulting chemist to the ROYAL Agri.
cultural Society of England, DR.. Voelcker,
mentions in his last report fertilizer analyz-
ed under his direction which sold for S37 per
ton, and would really have been dear at SIS, as
about three-fourths of its weight was made up
of moisture and useless earthly matter In an
other case the market charges for top-dre
ing was S25 per ton above its value. A
guano guaranteed to contain 9 "a per cent
ammonia, actually contained only l per
cent-being sold for More than nine times
what it was worth. A nitrate of soda bought
for $50 per ton, was so adulterated with COM
mon salt as to be worth only half the cost.
IL.
are continually discovering frauds, some of
them even greater than any found by DIR.
VOelcker.
Prof. Brewer of the Sheffield Scientific
school, and member of the Board of Direc-
tors of the Connecticut Experiment Station,
in a lecture before the Connecticut Board of
Agriculture, said: I'VE know this. that in
the simple matter of the analysis of fertiliz-
ers alone. the station is the only safeguard
which the farmers of this State have from
being swindled beyond all account" This
was said after the station had been in opera
ton seven years.
The Commissioner of Agriculture of the
State of Georgia said that when they first
began the examination of fertilizers in that
State, one of his first acts was to
discover 10000 tons in one lot that was be-
ing sold at $40 to $50 ton, which was worth
less than IS" 1t was found that those fer
tilizers were driven out of the State of Con
necticut by their examinations, and shipped
to Georgia. Prof. Brewer further says that
sugar planter of Louisiana informed him per-
sonally that he had paid more than $50 700
for the same fertilizers which the Connecticut
Experiment Station had condemned, and he
added. Judging from the results we have OBJ
tanned from their application on the sugar
plantation. and looking at their analysis, have
no doubt that have been swindled out of
5000 of the $50, 900 that l paid" 1t is
needless to add that that $50 900 would have
been swindled out of Connecticut farmers,
had not the cheat been discovered BY the ex-
aminations made at their experiment station.
In the annual report for 1881 of the Con-
necticut Experiment Station is tabulated
statement of the analysis of fertilizers made
at that station during the year. brand of
fertilizer known as ''Mopes Pure Fine Bone
dissolved in sui phuric acid sold forS42 per ton,
was found to be worth $50. GO or 81 So more
than it cost Mitchell's Standard Phosphate
sold for $40 the ton, was found worth only
Sl6,36 or 1923 Ga less than its cost. Here
was a rich bargain and also an outrageous
cheat. and no means of determining either
without an anaylsis. and yet it made the diff
ference of S35 30 per ton to the purchaser,
which one was purchased. Other States find
similar results which might be referred to in
large numbers. / will give only ole more
illustration.
The July Bulletin, No. %, of the Connec-
ticut Experiment Station, reports d sample
of Norfolk Fertilizer which was found to be
mixture OF ground oyster shells and
lime, with some 10 per cent. of low grade
potash mixed with it, and worth only 81 per
ton in place of the $50 which it sold for.
c. Ill =.
used in the arts. and which ought to have
had 46 per cent. of potash and an estimated
value of S136 per ton contained no potash at
all, and was variable mixture of Chilli salt
peter with 90 to 65 per cent. of common salt.
The farmers of Maine are paying between
$500, 900 and $500, 900 of hard earned money
annually for commercial fertilizers, and the
trade is rapidly increasing; manufacturers OF
the same are al springing up among US. All
the Eastern States, Middle, and many of the
Southern and Middle Western States have
provided for examinations of the fertilizers
sold within their borders, and all have dis
covered outrageous frauds. Maine, of all
this galaxy. stands alone unprotected. Does
any sane man suppose that in this condition
We escape the attention of that class
of blood-thirsty sharpers who always
stand ready with frauds. cheats, and
0tcertiOns Wherever tue uOoTs VI tilt law
stand ajar? More than ever before, since
other States are now protected, do we need
protection, as we NAV. like Georgia and Lou
isiana, have thrown opou us the prescribed
and worthless fertilizers which cannot find a
sale where people are wise enough to provide
the protection of law. Already counterfeit
brands of well-known fertilizers are being in
troduced. and at the present time agents are
clandestinelv at work among US taking orders
from unsuspecting parties, adroitly putting
their prices enough lower than the genuine
article to serve as a tempting bait
Will candid Legislators think of these
things? Will the farmers see to it that their
interests are not neglected?
L. A. GILBERT,
Sec Board Of Agriculture.