FERTILIZERS. 



583 



Composition and valuation of the fertilizers sold in the State in 1894. — 

 The following table shows the average actual and guaranteed composi- 

 tion of all fertilizers examined by the station during the spring of 1894, 

 and also of the 179 brands of which the selling price was ascertained: 

 Average composition and selling 2}^<'^ of" fertilizers in Xew York, 1894. 



Nitrogen, maximnm amount guaranteed 



Nitrogen, uiiniiuum amount guaranteed 



Nitrojren, amount found by analysis 



Aval able phuspborio acid, maximum amount guaranteed . 

 Available iibci.spbdric acid, minimum amount guaranteed . 



Available phosiihuric acid, amount found bj' analysis 



Total pbosphoric aiid, maximum aTuouut guaranteed 



Total pliosijboric acid, miniiiiiim amount guaranteed 



Total phosphoric acid, amount fouml by analysis 



Potash, maximum amount guaranteed 



Potash, minimum amount guaranteed 



Potash, amount found by analysis 



Average selling price to farmers 



132. 25 



Giving to each constituent its maximum market price, viz, nitrogen 

 18| cts., available phosphoric acid 5^ cts., insoluble phosphoric acid 

 2 cts., and potash 4i cts., the average valuation of the 179 fertilizers is 

 $25.80, 25 per cent less than the average selling price, $32.25. 



"Recent quotations show that pota.sh as high-grade muriate can be hxnded in 

 Geneva, by the ton, at not exceeding 4y cts. per pound, nitrogen as nitrate of soda 

 at 15;t cts. per pound, and soluble phosphoric acid at 5 cts. per pound. 



"At these prices our average fertilizer ^vou]d cost $21.77 per ton instead of $2.5.80, 

 and there •would be a saving of $10.48 per ton, which would well pay for the cost of 

 mixing. . . . 



"It is obvious that there is room for a very considerable saving in cost provided a 

 few enterprising farmers unite and mix their own fertilizers." 



An examination of 41 brands of so-called special manures for pota- 

 toes, 8 for tobacco, and 12 for cabbages showed that there was nothing 

 approaching agreement in the composition of different brands designed 

 for the same purpose, except the presence of all three fertilizing con- 

 stituents. 



Formulas are given by which fertilizers approximating in composi- 

 tion the averages of the above classes may be compounded. Using the 

 cost of these mixtures as a basis and allowing $3.50 for freight to the 

 central part of New York, the following average results in selling price, 

 cost of making, and amount saved per ton are obtained: 



Average selling price and cost of fertilizers. 



A verage of 235 fertilizers 



Average of 41 potato manures . . 

 Average of 8 tobacco manures. . 

 Average of 12 cabbage miinures 



Selling 

 price. 



$32. 25 

 35. 34 

 32. 33 

 36.88 



Cost of 

 making. 



$24. 58 

 23.60 

 23.54 

 30.70 



Differ- 

 ence. 



$7.67 



11.74 



8.79 



6.15 



" It is of course to he kept in mind that in the above mixed fertilizers, the prepa- 

 ration of which has been explained, there have been used in every case the very best 

 chemicals to be found in the maket." 



