REPORT OF BUREAU OF MARKETI^X AND SUPPLIES. 1 57 



This, added to the low price of potatoes up to this time, with 

 no hope for an advance this season, does not make the outlook 

 for the farmers highly encouraging. 



The planting of a 4 per cent potash in the place of a 7 per 

 cent was w^hat confronted the growers and they looked about 

 them for a way out of the dilemma. The membership of the 

 Farmers Union of Maine appealed to the Bureau of Market- 

 ing and Supplies, requesting that every effort be made to 

 supply them with the usual analysis. The outlook was not at 

 all encouraging, but after a thorough search through the chem- 

 ical centers the Farmers Union of Maine was placed in a way 

 to secure a 4-8-7, 5-8-7, 4-8-4, 5-8-4 and 4-6-10 at the following 

 prices delivered at destination : 



4-8-4 $30.50 



5-8-4 3300 



4-8-7 36.50 



5-8-7 39-00 



4-6-10 41.50 



Last season the Farmers Union furnished a 5-8-7 at $33.00 

 and a 4-6-10 at $31.50, making the actual value of a 4-6-10 

 $1.50 less than a 5-8-7. This season the cost of a 4-6-10 is 

 $3.50 more than a 5-8-7, owing to the fact that the 4-6-10 con- 

 tains potash to the cost of $21.00 while the 5-8-7 contains only 

 $14.00 worth of potash. 



The farmers have many problems to solve along fertilizer 

 lines and the more quickly our moneyed men and legislators 

 arrive at this conclusion the more quickly will Maine prosper. 



The Farmers Union must have fertilizer mixing plants and 

 the farmers must practice home mixing and when this is 

 brought about a radical change will have been perfected along 

 the reduction of the cost of producing. The erection of build- 

 ings and the purchasing of the necessary equipment will be but 

 a small portion of the money required. The chemicals neces- 

 sary will all come with draft attached and these drafts must be 

 taken up before the cars are unloaded. The funds necessary 

 to purchase all these ingredients must be raised in Maine, and 

 if the State Board of Trade are in earnest in their desire to be 

 of benefit to all Maine, they will see that the farmers are placed 

 in possession of sufficient funds to finance all operations along 

 fertilizer lines. 



