COST OF A CROP OF CORN. 87 



In the first column we have the result as stated by the 

 comiDctitors themselves, but brought into a form by which 

 their estimates of the cost per bushel can be compared the 

 one with the other. 



In column 2, I have substituted for their own valuation of 

 the manures, the fertility removed from the land. 



In column 3, I take their own statements, but give the 

 same market-value to the fodder. 



In column 4, I give my own idea of how these statements 

 should be compared, taking each statement of the competitor, 

 in this case, as correct, but bringing all the statements to a 

 uniform basis. 



I would call attention here to what I consider a fact — that 

 whether my valuation of manures is correct or not, my method 

 will serve as a guide in getting at the relative cost of growing 

 a crop of corn. The problem must be approached from the 

 side of the corn analysis, which is quite constant, rather than 

 from the manures, which difler in quality, expense and bulk 

 in each man's cellar. I bespeak a careful study of my essay, 

 as I have preferred conciseness, which I hope to have attained 

 without obscureness. 



One more point needs to be further considered. Grant 

 that the crop removes from the soil about forty dollars' worth 

 of fertility, can the farmer replace this feilility from his own 

 resources, at a cheaper rate than the raw chemicals can be 

 purchased? This will bear investigation. 



While the latter is soft and disorganized, and the duno- 

 moist and yet not very watery, a cubic foot of it will weigh 

 56 pounds; a cord will then weigh 7,168 pounds. In the 

 department of agriculture, report for 1862, the composition 

 of a ton of ordinary barnyard manure is given as 8 pounds of 

 nitrogen, 11 pounds of potash and soda, and 4 pounds of 

 phosphoric acid. This would make the value of ordinary 

 barnyard dung as about $8.40 a cord, very near the selling 

 price in our district. These calculations are not supposed to 

 be absolutely correct in any instance, for manure varies in 

 quality on each farm ; but relatively these values are correct. 

 That is, the ratio between this valuation and the valuation of 

 fertility removed by the crop is the same. Now when manure 

 is selling at $8.00 a cord, the farmer is paying Prof. John- 



