ADULTERATION OF FERTILISERS

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 6

ADULTERATION OF FERTILISERS

I The season is fast approaching for genera) seed-scrwing and for the extensive use of artificial manures "or every description of crop In this connection I complaints are very frequently heard re-

garding tbe quality of some of the artificial manures used on the farm. Farmers should never forget the danger of purchasing inferior fertilisers — often at disproportionately high prices — and should see for themselves that the act is complied with, and that the .analysis of whatever fertiliser they may use is according to invoke. It is well-known, however, that farmers in very few iases ever think of making use of this wea/pon. for their own defence ; paTtly because th«y do not like to take the trouble, and do not care for publicity. The Manure Adulteration Act declares that every sellei of an artificial fertiliser of not less than lOcwt must give to the purchaser an invoice certificate stating the name of the article and tbe percentages of ingredients" wnich it. contains. • This invoice acts as a guarantee that the actual percentages found on analysis shall not differ from those stated in the invoice beyond a certain margin which is allowed by the act. In order to check the figures stated in tbe invoice, it would J»e, (necessary to have ean>pke of the" material taken and have them chemically analysed. On receipt ' of. a consignment of artificial manure, therefore, according to Clauses 6 and/ 7 of the act, a farmer is entitled, an payment .to an analyst of such sum as may be agreed upon between himself and the analyst, to, niave snob manure analysed' and to receive from the analyst a certificate of the result of such analysis; and for such purpose the said person must deliver or send to suck analyst, within 14 days after the delivery of the manure and Ibefore Bulk :s: s otherwise broken, a sample thereof sufficient in quantity for the purposes of being analysed. The person purchasing any manure under the jirovisions of the act with tbe intention of submitting the sarnie to analysis shall, after the parchase) has been completed, forthwith notify to the vendor or his agient selling such manure his intention to have the same analysed under the act, and shall offer to divide in tine presence of the vendor or his agent, and immediately on. the delivery of the said purchase, any sufficient sample of the contents of such packages into five parts, to be tnen and there separated, and, each part to be marked and sealed, and fastened up in snob maoiner as its nature will permit, and shall, if required to do so, proceed accordinglj, and shall deliver two of the parts to tbe vendor oi his agent. He shall afterwards retain inro of tbe said parts for comparison, and submit the fifth part, to have the same analysed, to the analyst. Suppose, therefore, that the required notice has been given to the vendor of tbe fertiliser of the intention to have it analysed, the next proceeding, if the material! is in bags and not in bulk is to take samples from several bagß. With the sample cant-to the analyst must, of course, ibe sent the fertiliser invoice, or a copy of it. If farmers who have doubts as to^ tbe quality of the fertilisersthey are using would *only avail themselves of the protection of the Manure Adulteration Act by having samples analysed from time to time as preecribed by the act, vendors would be more aareful as to the value and analysis of the manures that are often sent into the country.