86 Vermont Agricultural report. 



We spread them down on a tight floor in layers, the most bulky 

 at the bottom. Then having shoveled them over three or four 

 times, much as one would in mixing grain, we ran the mixture 

 through a course sand sieve to take out any lumps that might 

 bother a planter. By mixing so small a quantity at a time, we 

 Soon found that a good deal of time was wasted in weighing out 

 the chemicals, and we also found the sodium nitrate -so lumpy 

 that it had to be pounded) thtis causing much extra trouble. 

 Consequently we had to work very hard all the forenoon in order 

 to mix half a ton. My helper concluded by this time that he 

 Would rather saw wood, and, before night, said that he wouldn't 

 mix another ton anyway. But after that, by mixing a ton at a 

 time we were able to get along much faster, and last year, having 

 had the sodium nitrate freshly ground before leaving the factory, 

 two of us Were able to mix and bag a ton in three hours. 



Now We come to the results. I sent a sample of the mixture 

 <iud of each chemical to the experiment station for analysis With 

 the aid of the formula it was very easy to compute from the analy- 

 sis of the chemicals what the analysis of the mixture should be if 

 the mixing were properly done. The result showed the mixing 

 to be very perfect. The mixture was valued at $28.89 P er toi) at 

 the station valuation. The cost of the ingredients for a ton de- 

 livered at our R. R. station was $29.60, thus giving 97.6 cents 

 worth of plant food to the dollar invested. We used beside this 

 mixture a ton of factory mixed goods which ranks well among 

 the medium grade brands. Its cost was $28.00 and its station 

 valuation $18.79 thus giving 67.1 cents worth of plant food to 

 the dollar. Then a dollar invested in the home mixed fertilizer 

 purchased 30^ cents more plant food than a dollar invested in 

 the manufacturer's mixture, and if figures don't lie, a saving of 

 $8.50 per ton was effected by home mixing. 



Last year, upon recommendation of Prof. Hills we used a 

 formula consisting of: 



200 lbs. sodium nitrate 

 400 " cotton seed meal 

 1 100 " acid phosphate 

 300 " muriate of potash. 

 This fertilizer costs $24.32 per ton delivered at our R. R. station. 

 I did not have it analyzed, so cannot give the station valuation, 

 but the field results were all that could be desired, and it is safe 

 to say that from 88 to 99 cents worth of plant food was received 

 to the dollar invested. 



From my experience I believe that home mixing pays. A 

 high grade fertilizer may be obtained at a moderate price, the 

 formula may be changed to suit particular conditions, and an in- 

 ducement is offered for the study of the principles of fertilization. 

 Home mixing can not be done by chance ; its details must be care- 



