COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS. 333 



NINTH AISTNUAL REPORT ON COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS. 



BY PROFESSOR C. A. GOESSMANN. 



The consumption of commercial fertilizers is still increas- 

 ing from year to year throughout the entire country. The 

 tendency of a gradual but steady rise in the cost of various 

 kinds of crude stock used for their manufacture (referred to 

 in my last annual report, 1880-1881) has been a noticeable 

 feature in the history of the trade in fertilizers during the 

 past year. The prices of the potassa, and of the nitrogen in 

 particular, have been higher than in previous years ; whilst 

 those of the different forms of phosphoric acid have remained, 

 as a general rule, more stationary. The higher grades of 

 potassium chloride (muriate of potash) have brought a 

 higher price ; whilst the kainits, and the higher gra;les of 

 potassium sulphate, have been sold at previous rates, or for 

 less. A continuation of this condition may have its effect, 

 in the future, on the composition of the compound fertilizers, 

 to meet their customary retail market-prices, per ton, by 

 lowering their nitrogen percentage, and increasing that of 

 phosphoric acid. The lately reduced importation of genuine 

 Peruvian guano, as well as the smaller supply of Menhaden 

 fish refuse, has no doubt exerted a serious influence on the 

 entire trade, and may, in part at least, account for the in- 

 creased cost of all our ammoniated superphosphates. I have 

 taken particular pains to obtain at various times during the 

 past year, until quite recently, reliable market reports from 

 Boston and New York. A digested abstract of the informa- 

 tion obtained in this connection will be found within the 

 subsequent pages, under the heading, " New- York and Boston 

 Market-Prices for 1881." The figures given in that price-list 

 refer, in either case, to the cost of the articles delivered at the 

 respective local railroad depot, in case of cash payments. As 

 the cost of distribution, including the customary credit of 

 from three to six months, must vary more or less in each case, 

 it has, for obvious reasons, been left to the good judgment of 

 the consumer to decide whether, in liis own locality, the price 

 asked for the fertilizer he bought is a fair one. According 

 to the best information obtained, it seems quite admissible, 

 to expect in the retail trade, in the majority of instances, an 



