294 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and nitrogen, he knows that his commercial success will 

 depend in a controlling degree on the readiness with which he 

 satisfies the special wants of the farmer. The latter does 

 not fail to notice that the chances for securing his fertilizers at 

 their real market prices are greatly improved. 



A commendable exertion could be noticed on the part of 

 many manufacturers to improve their fertilizers. The price 

 of many leading brands has been reduced from 20 to 25 per 

 cent, as compared with previous years. This reduction has 

 been so general, that a change in the valuation of the fertilizer 

 becomes quite justifiable. In adopting a new scale for a com- 

 parative valuation of the fertilizers which have been tested 

 during the past year, I have stated, for obvious reasons, such 

 figures as will be conceded by dealers to be liberal.* 



1874-75. 



Per Pound. 



1875-76. 



Per Pound. 



Soluble lyhosphoric acid, ..... 



Reduced, 



Insoluble phos. acid in mineral phosphates, . 



" " in bones, fish and animal dust, 



Nitrogen, 



Potassium oxide in muriate, 



" " in sulphate, 



When advocating for the first time, in a report (January, 

 1873) to the trustees of the Massachusetts Agricultural Col- 

 lege, the adoption of certain regulations regarding the sale 

 of commercial fertilizers, I felt quite confident that a judicious 

 supervision of the fertilizer trade, accompanied by a proper 

 periodical oflScial discussion of the mutual interests of the 

 manufacturers of fertilizers and the farming community, would 

 furnish a very eflScient means to communicate to the former 

 the particular wants of the latter ; whilst at the same time a 

 suitable chance would present itself to engage the attention of 

 a large class of practical farmers for the exposition of rational 

 principles of agriculture by practical illustration touching their 

 pecuniary interest, who quite frequently would not feel dis- 

 posed to listen to an abstract enumeration of the principles 

 which control the success of their industry. It is gratifying 



* See price-list at the end of report. 



