COMMERCIAL MANURES. 207 



vastly greater than is commonly supposed. There are whole 

 nations of the most successful agriculturists on the face of the 

 earth, who depend almost wholly upon this alone. We may well 

 profit by their example in economy ; and in doing so, reap a double 

 advantage, — not only make large gains, but avoid a too frequent 

 nuisance, ^n a word, I would have every home resource laid under 

 contribution and taxed to its utmost, (within the limits of economy) 

 before he turned to any outside resources whatever. 



I said I would never recommend the substitution of commercial 

 fertilizers in place of the home supply. I would no more do so than 

 I would recommeifd the substitution of commercial illuminators in 

 place of sunlight, — and I would not do this for two reasons ; first, 

 the sunlight is better, and, second, it is cheaper. Nevertheless, 

 there are times and places where sunlight is not to be had, and 

 people who pay money for commercial illuminators usually believe 

 that they get their money's worth, and this, too, in spite of fraud, 

 which manifests itself in the fact that gas sometimes lacks illu- 

 minating power, and is sometimes loaded with noxious vapors, 

 offensive to the senses and deleterious to health ; and in spite too, 

 of the fact that petroleum oils occasionally explode in the hands of 

 those who lise them and burn deeper than barely to make a hole 

 through their pockets. 



Notwithstanding all the drawbacks which exist to the use of 

 commercial illuminators, they are extensively used. Their manu- 

 facture is a respectable business, and for aught I know, a lucrative 

 business. On the whole, taking all their merits and demerits into 

 consideration, they who buy and use are content to buy and use 

 again ; and I venture to predict that this will continue to be the 

 case for a long time to come. 



It is not to be denied that there has been, and is still, a great 

 deal of cheating in connection with the manufacture and sale of 

 commercial fertilizers. It is a business which furnishes great 

 facilities for fraud, and dishonest men take advantage of them. 

 This is chiefly due to the fact that the color, smell and general 

 appearance of the article sold furnish no trustworthy indication of 

 its real value. This can only be determined by a careful and 

 somewhat costly chemical analysis, or by full trial in the field, 

 upon various soils and crops and in difiercnt seasons. But there 

 is nothing to prevent honest and capable men from manufacturing 

 and selling a good article at a fair price. 



The question is so frequently asked, what security can we have 



