Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-11-29
FERTILIZER ANALYSIS.

We have from Prof. H. NJ. Stack
house, secretary Of the board of fertil-
izer control of Clemson college, the fol-
lowing additional statement with rel
erence to the matter of analyzing Ter
tiliZers
1t is section 1910 of the law (act
1909) which provides That any pur-
chaser of fertilizers may have the same
analyzed by taking a sample within 10
days after delivery, from at least ten
per cent of the lot, in the presence OF
at least two disinterested witnesses,
one to be chosen by the purchaser, and
one by the seller, who shall have SIX
days previous notice, and sealed in the
presence of a third disinterested party,
ACCOMPANIED by a certificate that II
was so drawn in accordance with TINS
act"
The manufacturers Of fertilizers,
with many thousands Of dollars In
vested in their costly plants and eX-
pensive machinery, are entitled under
the law to protection and safeguard OF
their rights, but we have thought that
section 1910 might be further slmpll-
fled without impairing it's efficiency or
protection to both parties. However,
il is not the college but the legislature
which makes these laws, and we are
bound to obey or be held responsible
for the analysis Of illegal samples
which we had no right to make.
In our direction to farmers for send
ing these samples, we do not ask them
to tell us who made the fertilizer or
how much of each Is guaranteed, but
only to tell us whether it contains
phosphoric acid, ammonia or potash, or
all three of them. l am sometimes
asked if these farmers analyses could
not be made without knowing the
names of the ingredients. / reply, yes,
but the reason we ask these names IS
to economize time and expense in their
analyses; in this way, If the chemists
are told to look for phosphorlc aclo,
they make a solution and analyZe for
this only; if told 1t contains potash and
phosphoric acid, then they exam
inc for these two, or if told it contains
ammonia, phosphoric acid and potash,
then they are told to examine for all
three. If we were told nothing, ev-
cry sample containing only one ingre-
dient would have to be examined for
all three, and thus consume time ana
expense without any additional secur-
ity or advantage to the farmer.
This department with it's inspection
methods and analysis, will ever stand
for the protection Of farmers by insist
ing that they shall get what they buy,
and at the same time, for honest man
ufacturers by protecting them from
competition with others less scrupu-
lous. Those samples found deficient
below the very reasonable margin al
lowed by law, are published in our
bulletin in capital letters, and with
black index hand pointing to the name
of the company, thus giving notice to
buyers of the rebate in price to which
deficiency entities them. In response
TO an inquiry to manufacturers and
farmers whether or not such rebates
were being demanded, two of the for
mer testified that they had paid them
in pretty large sums; and we presume
that buyers generally avail themselves
of these rebates.
Any one wishing further proof that
every statement herein made Is cor
rect, is respectfully invited to visit our
office and the laboratory here, where
records and evidence will be submitted
in proof of each.