COMMEKCIAL FERTILIZERS. 195 



trade. High charges of retail agents and a long credit sys- 

 tem quite frequently .depi;ive the farmer of the benefits aris- 

 ingf from a more skilful manufacture of fertilizers and a 

 better commercial management of the various resources of 

 the crude materials which serve for the production of the 

 former. The composition of the majority of the more promi- 

 nent standard fertilizers, as a rule, has been but little 

 altered, and on the whole but few causes of complaint have 

 been reported, regarding that class of articles. 



Whenever changes have been made the tendency has been 

 to reduce the nitrogen and to increase the potassa. Nitrate 

 of soda has been more frequently used as a part of the nitro- 

 gen resources in complete manures. 



The late comparative high price of the better quality of 

 nitrogenous animal refuse matter and the temporary low cost 

 of nitrate of soda have apparently favored these changes. 

 As purely commercial considerations cannot fail to exert an 

 influence on the manufacturer of fertilizers reo^ardinij the 

 choice of material and the manner of compounding their 

 formulas, it seems but proper that farmers should benefit by 

 their experience in the past and devise some practical way 

 by which they can secure fertilizers which are compounded 

 with reference to their special wants. 



It is gratifying to notice the steadily increasing call for 

 agricultural chemicals, — for it is a practical demonstration 

 of our progress in a rational system of manuring farm lands. 

 Fertilizers pay only when applied with reference to the ex- 

 isting deficiency in plant-food in the soil ; and in a general 

 farm management are most valuable when merely supple- 

 mentinjj home-made manures. 



The subsequent statement of prices refers to the past year. 

 They have been used in the valuation of the fertilizers de- 

 scribed in this report, which contains the analyses of eighty- 

 seven samples : — 



