discussion, this second conference passed a resolution recommending that the guaranties be expressed in the order of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash (known as the N-P-K order).

In 1928 the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists adopted as tentative the N-P-K order and officially adopted this order in 1930. In 1931 there were 26 States requiring the guaranty in terms of nitrogen, and 17 States permitted or required the guaranty in terms of ammonia, 2 of them requiring both. By 1931 at least 15 States prohibited fractional guaranties. In May 1931 a conference between the control officials of the 13 Northeastern States and fertilizer manufacturers doing business in those States resulted in further uniformity. By July 1931 there were 35 States that required nitrogen only to be guaranteed; 36 required the N-P-K order, and 23 permitted guaranties in whole numbers only.

Efforts to establish complete uniformity were continued, but necessity for legislative action in certain States and inability to obtain such action in every case delayed complete uniformity until 1939, when the South Carolina Legislature passed a fertilizer law, thus making the fertilizer laws of 47 States (Nevada has no fertilizer law) uniform in requiring guaranties in terms of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, and in the N-P-K order. By 1939 fractional guaranties were prohibited in at least 38 States.

State control officials and industry representatives are continuing their efforts toward the achievement of still greater uniformity in control requirements. Frequent conferences have been held on the subject, and it is believed that slow but continuous progress will result. The goal is to have such a degree of uniformity that one standard method of designation on bags of fertilizer would satisfy the labeling requirements of all State control laws.

Standardization of Chemical Methods for Determining Plant-Food Content in Fertilizers Through the American Chemical Society.

The fertilizer division of the American Chemical Society meets each year and affords an opportunity for the presentation of technical papers on fertilizer. In a measure, it acts as a clearing house for new subjects to be presented for the consideration of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. Chemists connected with fertilizer industry, with State experiment stations and control laboratories, and with the various Federal agencies engaged in fertilizer research meet to discuss common problems of analytical technique in order to develop uniform procedure for the chemical evaluation of agricultural commodities and supplies. Such developments as need official recognition are then referred to the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists for action.

Standardization of Analytical Methods and Terms for Designating Various Plant-Food Elements in Fertilizer Through the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists.

In 1922 a group of chemists representing the fertilizer industry suggested to the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists of North America (a body composed of those State and Federal officials who are engaged in agricultural research or in the enforcement of the feed, fertilizer, and food control laws) the establishment of a forum for the discussion of technical fertilizer problems. As a result, this association formed a Committee on Definitions of Terms and Interpretation

of Results on Fertilizers and Liming Materials. This committee meets each year during the annual meeting of the association for the discussion of definitions of fertilizer terms and such other matters as may be presented. An opportunity is thereby afforded the technical men of the industry, persons engaged in agricultural research, and officials administering State laws to meet on common ground and voice their opinions and recommendations.

The committee, after a complete hearing, prepares, in executive session, official definitions for the various fertilizer terms, establishes official standards for various fertilizer materials, and makes official interpretations of terms and phrases used in the industry. These matters are referred as recommendations to the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists for adoption as official standards. The laws of many States provide that the methods of analysis and the recommendations of this association shall govern the practice of the control officials, in which case these methods and interpretations have the effect of law.

Since the first meeting of the committee in 1923, up to and including the 1939 meeting, 60 fertilizer and liming materials have been officially defined by name and identified by specifications, and 28 terms have been officially defined or interpreted. Through these channels not only has uniformity and standardization been achieved but a measure of official and even legal standing has also been obtained.

The Association of Official Agricultural Chemists also has adopted official methods of analysis for all determinations that are necessary to be made in connection with the sale and use of fertilizer. They have also adopted official methods to be used in the collection and preparation of all samples that are to be used in determining whether or not the guaranties required by any law have been met. The chemists of the fertilizer industry have cooperated in the development of these official methods.

Increase in Plant-Food Content.

The cost of handling a ton of fertilizer is the same, regardless of its plant-food content. It takes just as many bags to hold a ton of fertilizer containing 12 units of plant-food as it does to hold one containing 24 units. The freight costs are the same on each; also, labor expense, selling expense, accounting, and many other items are calculated on a ton cost. Within limits, then, the cost of each pound of plant-food delivered on the farm is reduced as the concentration of total plant-food in the fertilizer is increased. The United States Department of Agriculture and certain of the State experiment stations for years have recommended to customers that they buy fertilizers of higher plant-food content. The fertilizer industry believes in the sound economics of such practice, and is on record as favoring the inclusion of a requirement in all State laws as to the permissible minimum plant-food content of mixed fertilizers, recommending that such minimum be not less than 16 percent. As of 1939, the laws of 14 States prohibit the sale of fertilizers containing less than 16 percent total plant-food, and six additional States prohibit less than 14 percent. That these recommendations regarding higher plant-food content are being accepted is evidenced by figures furnished by the United States Department of Agriculture which show that the average plantfood content of complete mixed fertilizers in 1880 was 13.4 percent;

in 1900, 14.1 percent; in 1925, 16.0 percent; in 1930, 17.8 percent; and in 1935, 18.2 percent and it is estimated that it will reach approximately 19 percent in 1940.

Standardization of Bag Sizes for Fertilizer.

The standardization of package sizes in the fertilizer industry has never been an important problem. State laws requiring a tax stamp or tag to be affixed to each bag or package, to evidence payment of the tonnage inspection fee, naturally required even-weight bags in each ton. Custom established the 200-pound bag in the greater part of the country, and the 100-pound in the remainder. Variations were the 125-pound and the 167-pound bag. Smaller sizes, containing 50 pounds, 25 pounds, 10 pounds, 5 pounds, and 1 pound, were used only for the city lawn and garden trade. Practically 100 percent of fertilizer for the farm trade is shipped in one of the first four sizes, with the 100-pound and 200-pound sizes predominating. When paper bags were first introduced for fertilizer shipments, the use of a somewhat smaller bag was found necessary to carry better and to be less subject to damage, and an 80-pound size was chosen. Better quality paper bags now permit the 100-pound size, which is almost universally used.

SANITATION AND LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW BEDDING AND UPHOLSTERY

A survey of State laws dealing with provisions regulating the manufacture and sale of bedding and upholstery, and with Federal and State court cases in this field shows wide variation in the laws of the States surveyed.2

Chart XIX on sanitation and labeling requirements for new bedding and upholstery, based on this survey, reveals that 37 States, including the District of Columbia have laws regulating the manufacture and sale of new bedding or new bedding and upholstery. Thirty-six of these laws apply in terms to mattresses; 30 to comforters, quilts, or quilted pads; 28 to cushions or pillows; and 11 to upholstered furniture in general, with some other laws, applying only to specified types of furniture, such as "upholstered springs, "lounges," and sofas." In addition, the laws of a few States apply to articles of bedding in general, or to articles "similar" to those specifically mentioned in the laws.

Sanitation requirements regarding the use of materials in the manufacturing of bedding are of more than one kind. There are prohibitions to be found in 13 States against the use of second-hand or shoddy material, while the laws of 21 States specifically permit the use of such material if it has been sterilized. Similarly, in 17 States with bedding laws, the use of contaminated material is specifically prohibited, while in 8 States the use of such material when sterilized is permitted. There are qualifications in 4 States prohibiting certain uses or prohibiting certain kinds of contaminated or second-hand material and permitting others.

"Survey of State Laws and Judicial Decisions on Bedding and Upholstery," prepared by S. Mermin and J. Mayer, S. P. Kaidanovsky, Technical Director, Consumer Standards Project, pp. vii+160, Division of Consumers' Counsel, Agricultural Adjustment Administration, U. S. Department of Agriculture, and Work Projects Administration, Washington, D. C.

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