The Bulletin. 91 



As iudk'ato<l on chart No. 1, we need 1(>0 pounds of pliosijlioric acid, 

 which we will suppose to be derived from 10 per cent acid phospiiate. Sixteen 

 I^er cent acid phosphate contains 10 pounds phosphoric acid to each 100 pounds 

 of acid pliosi)Iiate, so, to get 1(10 pounds phos])lioric acid, we will have to use 

 1,000 pounds of the acid phosphate. A similar calculation will hold good 

 with the anunonia an<l potash. 



The total weight of the ingredients used will he 1,435 pounds. This means 

 that only this amount is necessary to make an 8-2-2 fertilizer. 



Chart No. 2 shows the com])arison of the S-2-2 and the S-4-4 fertilizer 

 mixtures as to the amount of materials used and the cost. The S-2-2 

 conmiercial fertilizer, then, contains HOf) iiounds of tiller, which has no value 

 and is necessarily an additional expense and burden. The S-4-4 has 

 only 130 pounds of filler. This would indicate that it would require a' higher 

 grade fertilizer than an 8-4-4 to make the full ton contain no filler. 



The 8-2-2 contains 240 pounds of plant food. 

 The 8-4-4 contains 320 pounds of plant food. 



The cost will vary according to the prices that will have to be paid by the 

 farmer, but those are prices quoted to me at Raleigh in July. 



Any farmer may figure out what his fertilizer will cost by the same method. 

 Ask "the fertilizer dealer for prices and compare figures. See if there will 

 not be enough saved to cause your careful consideration. 



After undertaking this, I would suggest that the lirst step in the proper 

 handling of fertilizers is to secure the best prices on the different ingredients 

 from several wholesale dealers or factories. Acid phosphate should not be 

 purchased from the factory during the rush season, for if this is done it often 

 is not dry and as a result weighs heavy and eats the sacks very quickly. 

 But when purchased after or before the rush season it will likely be lighter 

 in color and dry. 



In this condition it contains relatively more plant food. It might be 

 advisable to build a bin for the acid phosphate under the shed where it 

 may be easily drawn out when needed. As soon as it is hauled have it 

 dumped into this bin and liave the sacks washed immediately. In this way 

 the sacks may be kept in good condition for use later. In fact, if all the fer- 

 tilizer sacks are washed, as soon as emptied, dried and put away where the 

 rats will not cut them, it will mean a considerable saving instead of buying 

 new ones, and will save the women folks considerable trouble in repair work 

 when the threshing season comes. 



Do not store any fertilizer materials on the ground, no matter how dry it 

 may seem, but on a plank floor. 



Some use wagon bodies for mixing the materials in. but we feel that a 

 farmer ought to have more room for mixing the pile back and forth. It is all 

 right to screen this mixture into a wagon body, though, for from such a 

 receptacle it may easily be sacked. 



By practicing home mixture of fertilizers we may mix any amount of any 

 grade at a time when there is a slackness in the field work. Some do this 

 during rainy days. By actual experience it costs, including labor, about 25 

 cents per ton to mix fertilizer on the farm. Compare this with the saving to 

 be had and I am sure the results will be in favor of home mixing. 



STABLE MANURES. 



By O. M. Gakren. 



Frequently we hear some people, especially fertilizer agents wanting to sell 

 their goods, belittling the values o,f stable manures as a soil improver and. 

 consequently, as a crop producer. They will cite you to the chemical analysis 

 of stable manure. 



