FOODS AND DRUGS. L. Heimburger, B. S., M. S., Analyst. Official food and drugs samples ... Special citrus fruit samples Total food and drugs samples Immature citrus fruit samples reported.. 85 41 3 7 10 146 1 Those samples found adulterated or misbranded have been reported to the proper officer. FERTILIZERS. It will be found that the average of the officially drawn samples of fertilizer show a slightly greater guaranteed percentage in Ammonia as compared to the season of 1913, the average guarantee for 1913 being 3.85%, for 1914, 3.96%. An increase is shown in Available Phosphoric Acid. The 1913 average guarantee was 5.76%, that for 1914 was 6.06%. In Potash, the average guarantee decreased. In 1913 it was 7.49%, while for 1914, it was 6.74%. The excesses-20% above guarantee-have materially increased, while deficiencies-20% below guarantee have also increased, showing less careful manipulation of the raw materials, grinding and mixing, and particularly less efficient chemical and technical control of factories, as most, if not all, have modern grinding and mixing apparatus and employ competent chemists to check raw materials and manufactured goods, this condition is inexcusable. The average guaranteed "State value" of the "official sample" has decreased as compared to the season of 1913, $0.56 per ton. The official analysis shows a decrease of $0.36 per ton as compared to 1913. The average excess value of all the official samples above "guarantee" is $1.95 per ton. Practically 6% in excess of guaranteed value. COMMERCIAL VALUE OF FERTILIZER MATERIAL. There has been practically little change in the commercial values of Ammoniates. Phosphates are still quoted at the same prices as in 1913, for ton lots, though liberal concessions are made for cash in car lots by manufacturers. Owing to the European war the supply of Potash salts has been limited and prices largely increased. The fact that a cargo of Potash salts has recently been received in Jacksonville by Florida manufacturers indicates that this shortage will soon be relieved. Special Samples of Fertilizers. There was an increase in "special samples" sent in by purchasers, under Section 9, of the Fertilizer Law, from 274 in 1913, to 320 in 1914; being practically 32 per cent increase in the "special sample," showing an increased demand by the consumer for an exact knowledge of the commercial and agricultural value of goods purchased afforded him by the Florida Law; a feature peculiar to the Florida Law, permitting the purchaser to send in a properly drawn and duly authenticated sample of goods purchased (feeds and fertilizers) and without cost, to obtain an analysis of the same. It is needless to say that the "special sample," when properly and legally drawn, as the Law directs, affords the consumer immediate information as to the "State value" of fertilizers or feeds purchased, giving him the same protection demanded by the manufacturer, who "purchases his raw materials on guarantee, and pays for them on alalysis." ABUSE OF THE SPECIAL SAMPLE. During the year numerous "special samples" have been received by the State Chemist, not drawn, nor transmitted according to the spirit and letter of Sections 9, of both the Fertilizer and the Stock Feed Laws, sent in very small packages, not sufficient for the necessary determinations, and the preservation of a duplicate sample in case of contest, and addressed to the "State Chemist." This misunderstanding of the law and its purport, caused the issuance, on Sept. 5, 1914, of amended regulations, under Sec. 15, of both the Fertilizer and Stock Feed Laws, for properly drawing, packing and transmitting such samples, in order to secure fair samples, properly identi fied, as to their genuineness, properly protected from. tampering with, the full text of these amended regulations are published herein. SPURIOUS SAMPLES. There is evidence that spurious "special samples" of fertilizers have been submitted for analysis. To prevent such fraudulent practice and insure the genuineness and representative character of the "special sample," an amendment to the fertilizer law is recommended, fixing a penalty for the submission of spurious or manipulated samples. Illegal Samples of Fertilizers, Stock Feed, Food, Drugs and Liquors Reported. Official samples of fertilizers, deficient.. 90 128 Official samples of foo's misbranded or adulterated. 28 Special samples of foods and drugs misbranded or adulterated Official samples of citrus fruit, immature.... 27 1 Total number of illegal samples reported 274 Prosecutions. Misbranded ginger ale (failure to state net contents), plead guilty-Palm Beach County. Misbranded Scotch Whiskies, (failure to state net contents), found guilty-sentence suspended. "THE NEW MINERAL FERTILIZER.” Notwithstanding the exposure of this fraud upon the farmers and growers of the State by this Division, during the year 1913, as reported to you in the report for that year, numerous advertisements of this material have appeared in several reputable newspapers of the State, offering the material to the growers of the State, sold direct from their home office outside the State. That this material has no value as a fertilizer is shown by the published analyses and results of experiments by various agricultural experiment stations, including the Florida Agricultural Station, and the United States Department of Agriculture. This imposition upon the credulity of a number of our farmers and growers, is of such importance that I repeat the results of the investigation of 1913, and respectfully suggest that you call the attention of the national authorities to this interstate shipment of a fraudulent material, greatly to the damage of the citizens of this and other States. Last year's report on this subject is as follows: THE NEW MINERAL FERTILIZER. "Early in July of this year (1913), the attention of this division was called to this material. A grower of the State sent tags and literature lauding the value of this so-called "New Mineral Fertilizer," asking information as to its fertilizing value. Being aware of the history of this material and the effort to impose it upon the credulity of the farmers of the country for years past, under various names or brands, by a campaign of pseudo-scientific misinformation, notably by the 'Professor of Polaric Nutrition of the Divine Science University," etc., that "Bread from Stones," "Stone Meal," "Mineral Fertilizer," has been fully tested and condemned as worthless as a fertilizer by competent agriculturists, scientific and practical; Inspectors were at once directed to procure samples of the goods, specimens of tags, circulars and literature. On July 12th, a sample was analyzed, by the official methods of the "Association of Official Agricultural Chemists"-the only recognized methods used by agricultural chemists, and agricultural experiment stations, which analysis showed: Total Phosphoric Acid.... Water Soluble Potash (K2O)............. .0.06% None. None. This sample was obtained from Ft. Pierce; another sample from Cocoanut Grove, bearing the same tag and accompanied by the same literature, was analyzed August 31st. This analysis showed: Total Phosphoric Acid.... .0.15% None. None. That this matter should be fully investigated and no injustice done, parts of these samples were sent to the |