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“Loamium” Fails
In State Tests •
The mail order soil conditioner “Loamium” does not live tip to claims made for it as a fertilizer, the , Virginia Department of Agriculture warned farmers and gardeners today.
Commissioner Parke C. Brinkley said advertising of the product claimed it was a fertilizer as well as a soil conditioner.
Actually, he said, there was not enough plant food in samples the Department tested to classify the material as a fertilizer at all.
In their test, Department chemists found only 5.23 per cent plant food in a sample of “Loamium,” where the label claimed 45 per cent
Under Virginia law, any fertilizer sold in the state must contain at least 18 per cent plant food.
“The sale of Loamium in Virginia is illegal, since it is not registered as a fertilizer and will not qualify as a fertilizer, although the manufacturer is making fertilizer claims,” Bj^nkley said. _ „
However, lie said, the product is being, distributed entirely by mail, from out of the state, and consequently is beyond the reach of Virginia law.
There .are' a number of effective still conditioners on the market in Virginia, but Loamium is the only one the Department has found which is making claims as a fertilizer.
T he Commissioner emphasized’that the Department was not in a position, to judge the merits of LoamTum as a soil conditioner. Soil conditioners are not covered in the law.
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