Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-02-10
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPEED THE PLow."
Borax In 1910 Fertilizers.
THE STATION WILL TEST SAMPLES FROM
CORRESPONDENTS.

At the request of q large number o
farmers assembled at Augusta the Com
missioner of Agriculture has rescindeo
his ruling relative to borax In fertilizert
In Maine for 1920 and fertilizers are now
being registered and sold under the gen
eral fertilizer law. This law affords pro
lection to the Maine user of fertilizer faI
better than any other fertilizer law In
the country. That Is, 1t is more drastic
in that it has provision which deems q
fertilizer adulterated II 1t carries any
materials deleterious to plant growth
While this section of the law has never
been tested in court there is very little
doubt but what it would be both quanti-
tatively as we'll as quslitstively inter.
preted, and that material that was
deleterious to plant growth must be
present in sufficient amount to be in
furious. The fertilizers that come for
ward will, unquestionably, contain traces
of boron. 1t is not believed that this
will be in sufficient quantities to prove
injurious to growing plants. 1t has been
stated by the Federal Department at
Washington that fertilizers containing
boron may be safely applied to land pro-
vided the total amount of boron does not
exceed two pounds per acre. While this
absurd small amount would appear TO
be safe the writer knows of no expert
mental data supporting this hypothesis.
The fertilizers as they come forward
will be under the Federal Regulation
which requires that If fertilizers con-
tain more than two pounds of anhy hydrOus
borax to the ton, (which is one-tenth Of
one per cent? the exact amount Of the
borax which the goods contain must ap-
pear on the label. II IL contains less
than this amount it can come forward
without any boron statement.
As suggested in previous letter the
Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
advises every farmer the moment he re-
ceIves his goods to sample them against
the possible need for an accurate sample
later. On conference with the State
Department of Agriculture it has been
decided that it would be better to have
these samples sent to the Agricultural
Experiment Station as soon as they are
taken where they will be Immediately
examined for borax. The samples will
be entered and held subject to q fuller
examination later il occasion should
arise.
Of course care must be taken in draw
ing the sample so that it shall accurately
represent the whole lot of which it is the
part. While a ssmpling tube that reach
ed tue whole length of the package and
by means of which core representing
the entire package can be obtained is
desirable fair sample can be taken in
the following manner:
Provide yourself with a tea cup, some
large pieces of stout paper and for each
sample to be taken clean dry pint or
quart fruit jar with a sound rubber ring.
Open at least five whole and unbroken
packages and thoroughly mix the con-
tents OF each for foot in depth; take
out three cupiuls from different parts of
the mixed portion of each package, pour
them over one another upon a paper,
and intermix thoroughly but quickly to
avoid loss or gain of moisture; fill the
jar from this mixture; put on the rub
Der ring; screw or clamp cover on tight
ly; attach label; and il convenient seal
with wax.
Make an exact copy of all the printed
matter upon the package, sign your name
to this, roll the paper around the jar,
and wrap jar and memorandum together
in strong paper. Carefully pack the
jar so that IL will not be broken In tran
sit and send forward by parcel post or
prepaid express to the Maine Agricul-
tural Experiment Station, Orono, Maine.
As soon as the sample is received it will
be tested for borax and the sender Will
be informed of the borax content of the
fertilizer.-Chas. D. Woods, Director.