Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-16
Agricultural.
Competition IN che Fertilizer Trader
The Vermont Law.

companion IN Nne EeENAAlNeE AEhAesss
The Vermont Law.
The number Of establishments manufactur-
ing fertilizers in the United States, as shown
by the report of the census of 1880, was 3G4.
There has been a large increase in the de-
mand for the product Of these manufactures,
and it is probable that the number of estab.
lishments is now not less than 900, not in
GLIDING many small ones having only local
trade. OF all these only twelve sell their
fertilizers in Vermont. The reason that 80
few manufacturers compete in the sale of fer
tilizers in this state is the fact that our law
requires license fee Of $50 for each brand
sold or offered for sale, and a bond from the
manufacturer or importer, with sureties re-
siding in the state for the sum Of $4,000 as
security for the payment for violating the law.
The penalty for the violation Of any of the
provisions Of the law is fixed at $1,000. 1t
is law intended to provide an eifectual rem
edy against the sale of fraudulent fertilizers,
and, 30 far, no honest manufacturer or dealer
need fear it yet its tendency has been just
what we feared and predicted it would be
when the act was under consideration in the
legislature-that is, to give few manufao-
turers and wholesale dealers the exclusive sale
of fertilizers in this state. Any restriction
placed upon an article Of merchandise tends
to increase it's cost to the consumer. Even
so little ss may be absolutely necessary to
prevent adulteration or fraud would have this
tendency though the benefit TO be derived
from an effective law for this purpose would
outweigh any slight increase of cost.
n,r Ia "a dOVhNla aHa "a
for the prevention of fraud as any upon the
statute books of other states, yet it places
such restrictions upon manufacturers that
none that have not already an established
trade here care to compete with those who
have consequently, out Of the several hun
bred manufacturers Of fertilizers in New
England and New York, we have only twelve
who have complied with our law and taken
out licenses to sell in this state. About four
times as many are licensed to sell fertilizers
in Connecticut state which also has law
which requires packages to be labelled with
the guaranteed per cent of nitrogen, phospho.
rio acid, and potash, and providing for the
analyses Of samples by the director of the Ag-
r,cultural Experiment Station at New Haven.
The only license fee is the charge of $40 for
analy zing each ingredient whose determine
ton is necessary for a valuation, which in a
complete fertilizer are nitrogen, phosphoric
acid and potash, making the license fee either
So $50 or $50. The analyses at this sta
ton, under the direction of the distinguished
agricultural chemist, DIR. s. W. johnson, have
a high reputation for accuracy. The penalty
for a violation of the Connecticut fertilizer
law is 800 for first offence and $500 for
each subsequent offence.
In our state the license fee of $50 for each
brand of fertilizer sold or offered for sale,
is intended to cover the cost of the analysis
by the chemist of Burlington college, and the
fees of the secretary of the board of agricul-
ture for sampling fertilizers, recording Ii.
censes, etc. The law provides, however, for
the payment of only 50 to the college for
each analysis, something in that line being
thought to be due the state for the $4,000 an.
nusl income from the agricultural college
fund. Our law should be 80 amended az to
place less restriction on the trade in fertilz-
ere, and invite a free competition among
manufacturers, while keeping in force al
that is really of practical use to prevent the
sale of that which is not equal to the guaran-
tee.