Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-30
BELFAST

Expert testimony was called in nv
the plaintiff in the suit for $4,000
lor damage to his potato crops
IN 1919 brought by Lutte L. Rogers. a
troy farmer against William r. Ken
dali and the Sagadahoc Fertilizer Co.
of Bowdoinham
Inc contention Of the plaintiff is
mat the fertilizer contained per-
centage of boraX sufficient to DESTROY
the life of the plants so that they
either died or grew so pindling that
they did not Weld the usual amount
per acre. He claims that he got an
average of 40 bushels to the acre
whereas 1t should he from $50 to 500
per acre.
Among the witnesses called nv the
plaintiffs attorneys. Robert r Dun
ton of Belfast and Carroll Perkins or
NaterVllle, are w. ]. Morse. direct
or OF the experimental station at
CnlNerslty Of Maine. and former di-
rector Charles d. Woods. who anal
lZed specimens Of the fertilizer sold
10 the plaintiff by the defendants
On the witness stand, Mr.. Rogers
toId the jury that he bought certain
chemicalS Of the defendants. agent
according to formula recommended
ny County Agent Norman 6. Dona-
nue. OF the Waldo County Farm Blu
reau' which, when properly. mixed
were said to form the fertilizer com
merclally known as 4S6. He bought
suiiIclent chemicals to make % tons
OF fertilizer. This he mixed accord
ing TO directions and annIied in tho
usual way to his soil. planting with
Green Mountain potatoes from his
own seed
He testified to the ingredients con-
tanned in the formula. and as to tho
manner of mixing and applying it to
the soil The formula did not con
tain bOraX. According to his, testi-
mony, Mr.. Rogers obtained a Weld
of about 1900 bushels of potatoes
from = acres, of which 1900 bushels
were merchantable On the other
hand. land on which he used manure
and very little fertilizer the WELD was
about 200 or more to the acre.
On cross examination the plaintiff
admitted that he used some Bradley
fertilizer 1872. about II bags, hauling
the bags to his fields with the other
lot of fertilizer. loading them on as
they came.
The defendants counsel, r r.
Dunton of Belfast and f. l.. Mclean
of Augusta. attempted to draw out
enc witness on cross examination as
to the methods of cutting up the
seed potatoes, stating to the court
that point in the defense was that
the potatoes had not been properly
cut.
one witness, Mr.. Mitchell of Troy.
testified that he bought four tons of
that a sample of his mixture was
sent to Orono for analysis.
Expert Testimony
Mr.. Rogers recalled, stated that
he had sent samples of the fertilizer
1856 which he had mixed from chemi-
Gals bought from the defendant, to
the Maine Experimental Station at
Orono, one of which was from his
planter and one from goods he had
sold to Mr. Mitchell Of Troy.
Prof. James NJ. Bartlett, for IS
years chemist at the Maine Expert
mental Station. testified as to the
degree of borax found in the samples
sent to him to test In sample 500
from Mr.. Rogers planter the test
was .25 of one percent. with moisture
% per cent. making the .25 equiva-
lent to 80 of one percent.
Sample go tested .2S with moisture
% one tenth. equivalent to .33 of one
per cent. This sample was from Mr.
MitchelTs mixture. Sample 1858,
mixture of soil and fertilizer showed
presence of borax in the test.
Witness also tested that eight sam
pies numbered from one to eight
were sent him by DR.. Charles d.
Woods. then director of the station
in all of which the test showed the
presence of borax to a greater or
less degree.
On REORGANIZATION the witness
said that according to his test there
would be six pounds of borax 10 the
ton in cample COG and six and 60 in
go. He also said that unless the
goods were properly mixed they
would show streakes
Dr.. Woods Testimony
DR.. CharlesaD. Woods. former di-