The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-05-24
NO. g..
OF In terest to Farmers.

! The use OF commercial fertilizers has
become so popular that few of our farmers
are satisfied without spending a hundred
OF two dollars every year, in this direction.
There is no branch of trade.that offers a
more tempting field for the exercise of ras-
cality with little chance of detection. The
safest plan for the farmers to pursue is to
purchase of no dealer whom they do not
know to be a thoroughly honest man-one
upon whose word they can implicitly rely.
In showing up some Of the tricks prac-
tised in the sale of fertilizers, the Rich
mond correspondent of the Petersburg
Lnder-A Appeal furnishes the following:
From avery careful examination of the
actual cash value of the fertilizers used in
Virginia, tested by the finest analysis, it is
made matter of proof positive that the
farmers of Virginia have been swindled
out of one million of dollars since 1866
by paying that much more for their fer
tilizers than their cash value, and bz cas-.
rdtue Imean to be Included the legitimate
profit on the stuffs to the manufacturer
ms immense sum has been distributed
among the middle men or agents, whose
only labor consists in the invention of
new methods to deceive farmers, who I'M
fortunately have not the time and the
money to ascertain by test what they get
when they buy. But the close scrutiny
into the manners and customs of agents
and manufacturers of guanos introduced
by the Agricultural Commissioner of the
State, has spread alarm everywhere among
manufacturers, and they are down on their
knees now, so to speak, and crying out
Stop - to the Commissioner, who can tell
any farmer who may ask him what is the
cash value of such and such a brand. On
Monday last $42 (cash) brand of fertii-
izer was yanked down to $37 in Prince Ed
ward county. How much lower the price
may go depends largely upon the fact as to
whether purchasers will do all they can to
get the Indignation that is necessary to
their own protection. For the benefit of
your farmer readers | will add that 1913 is
a liberal cash value basis for ton of 1000
pounds of fertilizer, and that gives the
manufacturer a fair profit. We are for
the farmer, because without him we would
not amount to a row of pins. Some farm
ers this season have bought fertilizers on
condition that they are to be tested by the
Chemist of the State at Richmond before
they remove it from the depot
The Washington and Lee University
commencement promises to be unusually
attractive this year. The chief feature Of
the programme will be the unwilling of
the. recumbent statue of Gen. Lee with
imposing ceremonies, Jno. W. Daniel de-
livering the Grafton. On Sunday, June "a,
the baccalaureate sermon will be delivered
by Bishop A. w. Wilson, of Baltimore, to
be followed in the evening by an address
before the Young Mems Christian Associ-
alton by Rev. DR.. Moses D. Hoge, of Rich
mond. Monday, the annual regetta will
come off on North river. and in the even
ing the final celebration of the literary So
cieties will take place. Tuesday evening
the address before the Alumni Association
will be delivered by the Hon. Clifton r.
Breckenridge, son of the late Hon. JohnC.
Breckenridge and Congressman-at-large
from Arkansas Wednesday, the COM
mencement exercises proper will take place,
after which the address before the literary
societies will be delivered by Gen. Fitz Lee,
the whole to conclude withIthe final ball,
which begins at 10 O'Clock "Wednesday
evening. AS already stated, Major John
W. Daniel, one of Virginia S most brilliant
orators, will deliver the Grafton at the UNI
yelling of the recumbent figure of Gen. R.
E. Lee.