The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-04-05

ing the inspection and analysis or
commercial fertilizers, South Carolina
would be mace dumping ground for
States having an inspection law. No
one, not even n chemist. without a
chemical analysis can tell the differ
ence In the value. for instance,
OF an 8. 3. 3. fertilizer and 10. 4.
4. fertilizer. The farmers would
simply be ct the mercy Of the manu-
facturer (and there are always some
unscrupuious manufacturers) were
n not for the fertilizer aniysis con-
Quoted by Clemson College. 1t IL the
pur- ose OF this article to show how
this analysis il carried on.
The general assembly of South
Carolina makes laws governing the
inspection and analysis Of CONNER
ciai fertilizers and the Board os
Trustees simply carry out these
laws
There are two kinds OF samples,
namely "off,ciai samples drawn by
the College INSPECTORS, and farmers
samples that may be drawn by any
purchaser In a manner prescribed by
law. For the collection Of official
samples the State Is divided into four
teen districts with an inspector for
each district. These inspectors can
vass the several districts. and col
lect samples where ever they may
md fertilizers. These samples are
placed I'm thlrty-two ounce bottles,
sealed. and numbered. in the pres
ence or a witness who writes for the
Inspector an affiadavit to the effect
that the sample is a just and fair
one. and drawn I'm accordance with
the law. These samples are then
sent to Mr.. III. M. stackhouse. secre.
tary OF the board OF fertilizer control
Upon receipt OF these samples Mr..
stackhouse turns them over to the
Chemical Department by numbers
only. and skilled chemists are direct
ed TO look for the ingredients claimed
by the manufacturer. The name Of
the manufacturer and the per cent
of each ingredient claimed by the
manufacturer is not known to the
chemist. The chemist is however.
given the insredient-but not the
amount or per cept--guaranteed by
the manufacturer for the following
reasons: IL for instance. potash
alone Is claimed by the manufacture
er. II Is utter folly and a waste of
time and money TO look for phospho-
ric acid and ammonia. IL takes Just
as much time. an costs just as much
money. To prove the absence OF an
ingredient as II does 20 determine the
per cent of an ingredient. The chem
lists will have to analyse about 1.4oo
"official samples this season. and
this means about 1000 separate de-
examinations. II will be impossible
for them TO complete this work be-
fore the first OF July. Now, II they
were required to make a complete
analysis of any fertilizers sent In
there Ia no telling when the work Of
the season would be completed.
When an analysis Is completed. the
chief chemist sends the result Of the
analysis to the Secretary Of the Board
Of the Fertilizer Control. Should
the samples fall below guarantee In
any ingredient the Secretary re-
turns the sample and the chemists
are required TO make another analy-
sis TO correct or confirm the first
analysis. The results Of the analy-
ais are then published and every
manufacturer whose goods fall be-
low the limits prescribed by law
(3 per cent) has his name published
In black letters with a black in
dex hand pointing to II. These re-
suits are published In bulletins which
are sent out free TO the farmers of
the State. Any one can get these
bulletins by simply sending his name
to j. N. Hook. Secretary to the Board
OF Experiment Station Control. with
the request that he may be put on
the mailing list.
IL is absolutely necessary that
those sending fertilizers to Clemson
TO be analyzed give the name Of the
manufacturer for else the secretary
OF the Board OF Fertilizer Control
could not publish the results for the
benefit OF the people of the State. II
a manufactures falls below guarantee
on hts goods no Is subject to prosecu-