The standardization and simplification of fertilizers, the reduction of the number of grades, the development of standardization of nomenclature, the standardization of chemical methods for determining plant-food content in fertilizers by the American Chemical Society, the standardization of analytical methods for designating various plantfood elements in fertilizers by the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, the increase in plant-food content, and the standardization of bag sizes is given below in chronological and rather detailed form to illustrate how the cooperation of industry, science, and legislation has resulted in the adoption of standards. A chart analyzing the sanitation and labeling provisions for new bedding and upholstery, and a summary of these provisions, indicates the lack of standardization in an industry of great importance to consumers. However, the cooperation of the National Association of Bedding and Upholstery Enforcement Officials with the American Standards Association (in which the manufacturers, distributors, and consumers are represented) in the establishment of standards may be the beginning of greater standardization in the bedding and upholstery industry. STANDARDIZATION AND SIMPLIFICATION OF Almost continuously since the enactment of the first State fertilizer control law in Massachusetts in 1869 efforts have been made to introduce simplification and standardization in the control laws of each of the several States as they have been enacted or amended. The fertilizer industry has always believed that a uniform law could be drafted to control the sale and distribution of fertilizers and fertilizer materials that would be suitable for the conditions in any State. Such a uniform law should adequately protect the consumer; and at the same time protect honest manufacturers from unfair practices of unscrupulous competitors and from unfair purchasers. It should not place useless and unnecessary requirements on manufacturers or requirements that cannot be enforced, yet should require for the purchaser disclosure of such information as may be useful to him in the use of the goods purchased. Methods have been developed for making a quantitative determination of all the plant-food elements in a fertilizer but it is sometimes difficult or even impossible to determine quantitatively certain of the components that may be used in the formulation of mixed fertilizers. It would therefore be difficult to enforce a law requiring the detailed quantitative disclosure of all the ingredients of a fertilizer mixture. The fertilizer industry has drafted a model law which is believed adequate to protect both consumer and producer, to be easily and completely enforceable, and to furnish all necessary information to enable the purchaser to select the fertilizer best suited to his needs of crop and soil. State control officials and legislative bodies have used this proposed draft as a basis for legislation in many States. There are now 47 States with fertilizer control laws; only Nevada is without one. Chart XVIII gives a summary of the principal requirements of these 47 laws and indicates their approach to uniformity. Reduction in the Number of Grades of Fertilizer. It has been recognized for many years that an uneconomic situation existed in the large number of grades of fertilizer being offered for sale. The grade of a fertilizer is represented by the integers representing the percentage content of the three primary plant-foods in the fertilizer. For example, a 5-10-5 grade of fertilizer indicates that the fertilizer is guaranteed to contain not less than 5 percent of nitrogen, 10 percent of available phosphoric acid, and 5 percent of available potash. As each figure changes, a different grade is represented. An almost unlimited number of combinations of the three figures is possible. A survey of the grades of fertilizer offered for sale in the various States, made in 1934, indicated that over 1,000 separate and distinct grades of fertilizer were being used in the United States. The State of Florida alone has recorded sales of 425 separate grades. It is a generally accepted fact, recognized by practically omists, that the fertilizer needs of any one State for all on any of its soils can be satisfied with from 10 to 25 differe of fertilizer. The needs of the country as a whole, in like can probably be satisfied with 50 to 75 grades. In 1934, for 71.9 percent of the entire country's tonnage of fertilizer w sented by 25 grades, and 95 percent by 175 grades. The final included 878 more grades. As early as 1925 the control official of the State of Texas a conference with fertilizer producers to decide on a list of grades which by contmon consent would be the only grades r and sold during the following year. Each year a similar cc is held, now in conjunction with the neighboring States of A Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. In Texas the accepte the current year contains but 22 grades. A number of othe and groups of States have followed this example and have lists of grades that will be recommended by State experiment and the sale of these grades will be featured by the manuf In some instances State laws now provide that such a list established each year by the control official and the sale of othe prohibited. Such standardization is of considerable economic importa obviates the necessity of the manufacturer being prepared to multitude of unnecessary grades, and not only relieves him expense but permits him to ship the smaller number of grac much greater efficiency and cheaper cost, all of which results i consumer prices. Development of Standardization of Nomenclature. The fertilizer control laws of the various States, as is to be es differ in many details as agricultural conditions or the opin legislators and control officials determine. Since the early days has been constantly made by the industry to have uniform 1 clature used, and wherever possible to have labeling requirem adjacent States uniform. Considerable variation occurred in requirements. Some States required guaranties to be made in te nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, and in that order; so quired the phosphoric acid to be stated first; and others requir guaranty in terms of ammonia instead of nitrogen. Some la quired that the percentage of plant-food be guaranteed in numbers only; others permitted fractions. In the fall of 1927 a fertilizer conference was called at Loui Ky., by a group of editors of farm papers. To this conference invited editors of the farm papers, agronomists, State control off and representatives of the fertilizer industry. Over 80 indivi attended. The question of uniformity of State control law re ments was a major topic of the conference. After extensive d sion, it was voted to recommend to all States that guaranties of p food in fertilizers be required in terms of available phosphoric nitrogen, and potash, and in that order and in whole numbers onl In September 1928 a second conference was held at West B Ind., to discuss progress made since the first conference. It devel that little progress on uniformity of guaranties had been made bec of extensive opposition to the order of statement of guaranties. A for Istration fee each brand. able 1 be exed as fertilizers unless containing at least 5 percent of plant food. Others may be for Yn require water-insoluble nitrogen to be 80 percent available by neutral permanganate e nit" Cal See 1 it w tob brand-name products. is net and less, 1 cent each. ents the goods to which it is attached. 1, 1940. 272496-41 --No. 24 (Face p. 238) |