The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1899-03-08
Report of State Chemist.

Ol IlOIlud, dl1u W d uuI1lUcI VI OCl1cI
commercial interests, one of the most
interesting and valuable Of the reports
of State officers filed with the Gov.
ernOr is that of the State Chemist,
Hon. William A. Rawls, which is be-
ing now printed
This report calls attention to the fact
that this branch of the department of
agriculture was primarily established
for the analysis of commercial fertiliZ-
ers sold in this State. The law con-
siders two classes of fertilizers; first,
those taken by the State chemist
wherever found, whether in factories
stores or in the hands Of consumers;
these are called ''official samples;''
the other GLASS; known as special
samples" are samples purchased by
citizens Of Florida for their own use
and submitted by them to the depart,
ment for analysis.
During the year the State chemist
took examined, and published results
of 179 official samples. The results
show that 20 per cent. of these are be-
low the manufacturers guarantees in
one Ingredient; 2 per cent. are below
the guarantees in two ingredients, and
per cent. below in all three ingred
tents; and that per cent. are scarcely
up to the guarantees. OF the above
II per cent were below in the manu-
facturers' guarantee in potash; pei
cent. were below in ammonia, and I
per cent. below in phOsphOric acid.
A considerable portion Of those cit
liens of Florida who might be benefit
ed by the work of the State chemist
and his assistant are not because of
their lack of knowledge of the regula>
lions which obtain in the matter of
the examination of special samples.
The law provides that for each such
examination the Commissioner of Ag-
riculture may charge a fee of So. This
fee was turned into the State treas
ury but while it was eXacted at no
time did the total fees during any
year amount to much over 500; hence
=. was of little benefit to the treasury,
and only served to deter many people
from seeking the benefit and prOtec-
ton to be had from the State chem
ist For the past year, however, the
ercised the discretion allowed. him by
the wording OIL the law, and waived
the payment of the nominal fee-nOm-
inal because each analysis is really
worth $20-thereby permitting any
citizen of Florida, who is a purchaser
of fertilizers for his own use, to have
any analysis thereof free of charge,
provided he would take fair sample,
in the presence of two disinterested
witnesses, from original packages,
and have the sample sealed and sent
to the department.
This liberal action has proven most
satisfactory to purchasers, and has
not been found to work injustice %
any manufacturer; and, as it has be-
come generally known, more consum-
ers are awaiting themselves of the adj
vantages offered. During the year 90
analyses Of special samples of CONNER
cial fertilizers, cotton seed meals,
ashes and fertilizer materials were
made by the State chemist for con-
SumerS.
Numerous analyses of soils, such as
would be found 10 benefit many per-
sons in a community, were made dur
ing the year by the State chemist,
and the results of each Of these
are set forth in the report.
Official samples of fertilizers are not