186 Agricultural Gazette of X.S.W. [Mar. 2, 1920. 



To determine the value of any manure the percentage of each ingredient is 

 multiplied by the unit-value assigned above to that ingredient, the result 

 being the value per ton of that substance in the manure. For example, a 

 bone-dust contains 4 per cent, nitrogen and 20 per cent, phosphoric acid : — 



4 K 258. Od. = £5 Os. Od. = value of the nitrogen per ton. 

 20 X 5s. Id. = £5 Is. 8d. = „ phosphoric acid per ton. 



£10 Is. 8d. = value of manure per ton. 



It must be clearly understood that the value thus assigned, depending solely 

 upon the chemical composition of the manure, does not represent in all ca.ses 

 the actual money value of the manure, which depends upon a variety of 

 causes other than the composition, and is affected by local conditions ; 

 neither does it represent the costs incurred by the manufacturer in the 

 preparation, such as cost of mixing, bagging, labelling, &c. It is simply 

 intended as a standai'd by which different products may be compared. At 

 the same time, it has been attempted to make the standard indicate as nearly 

 as possible the fair retail price of the manure, and the fact that in the majority 

 of cases the price asked and the value assigned are fairly close shows that the 

 valuation is a reasonable one. 



These figures have been checked by analyses of samples collected by an 

 ■officer of the Department. It by no means follows, however, that the par- 

 ticular profluct analysed and here published will be in stock for any length 

 of time. 



Some agents guarantee two figures — for instance, "from 16 to 18 per cent, 

 phosphoric acid." In these cases the lower one is shown in the list, as it will 

 certainly be the one the vendors will rely upon in cases of dispute. 



Now that the Fertiliser Adulteration Act is in force, the purchaser has 

 only himself to blame if he pays for an inferior article. Every vendor is 

 obliged to furnish a guai-antee with every delivery of fertiliser, setting forth 

 its actual composition as determined by analysis. 



If the purchaser has any reason to suspect the genuineness of the guarantee, 

 all he has to do is to notify the vendor of his intention to take samples for 

 analysis, in sufficient time to enable the vendor or some person appointed by 

 him to be present. The samples must be taken before the consignment is 

 finally in the purchaser's possession ; for example, if the fertiliser is sent by 

 rail, the sample should be taken at the railway station or siding. Three 

 samples must be taken, one being given to the vendor or his representative^ 

 the second kept by the purchaser and submitted to an analyst, and the third 

 forwarded to the Department of Agriculture for future reference, in case of 

 divergence in the analyses of the other two. All three samples must be 

 sealed up. 



In the case of bonedust, blood and bone manures, «fec., the valuation has 

 been made irrespective of the fineness of division, and is based on the amounts 

 of fertilising ingredients only ; but it must be borne in mind that finely 

 ground bonedust acts more rapidly than coarse, and that unground fragments 

 of bone only become available as fertiliser very slowly. 



