FERTILIZERS. 797 



Fertilizer inspection and analyses in New Jersey [ISfew Jersey 

 f^tas. Rpt. 1893, pp. 17-103).— T\ni^ includes statistics of the fertilizer 

 trade in lsi)3 and 10 i^recediiig years; data as to the market prices of 

 fertilizers; remarks on the economic purchase and rational use of com- 

 plete and incomjilete fertilizers, and on formulas, conii)osition, and cost 

 of home mixtures; and tabuhited analyses of 4:05 samjjles of fertilizing- 

 materials, including nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, dried blood, 

 dry ground fish, cotton-seed meal, wool waste, cotton hulls, ground 

 bone and tankage, bone, acid phosi)hate, dissolved boneblack, bone ash, 

 South Carolina rock, and other mineral i)hospliates, Odorless Phosphate 

 (slag), muriate of potash, kaiuit, sulphate of potash, sulphate of potash 

 and magnesia, ashes, factory-mixed fertilizers, and home mixtures. 



The price of complete fertilizers declined from 1885 to 1893, but 

 this decline " was not accompanied by a corresponding decrease in the 

 absolute amounts of jilant food delivered to consumers." The use of 

 fertilizers in the State is increasing, their cost amounting to $1,641,015 

 in 1893 as against $1,509,921 the previous year. 



" Farmers can make mixtures wbicli are equal to the best maniifiictiired brands and 

 superior to the average — first, in mechanical condition; second, in concentration; 

 third, in quality, and I'ourth, in point of cost. 



"Many farmers' clubs and granges are now buying their [fertilizing materials in 

 bulk and doing their own mixing] and several transactions by such organizations 

 this year, which involved the purchase of 700 tons of materials, were carefully 

 studied by the station in order to show the actual gains that were made. The 700 

 tons cost $20,790, or on an average at the rate of 14.9 cts. per pound for nitrogen, 5.7 

 cts. per pound for available phosi)horic acid, and 4 cts. per pound for potash. The 

 average cost per pound of these fertilizer elements, bought in mixed goods from 

 dealers, is this year 24.8 cts. for nitrogen, 9.4 cts. for available phosphoric acid, and 

 6.7 cts. for potash. The total cost of the amounts of constituents contained in the 700 

 tons would, on this basis, have been $34,489, or a difference in favor of the former 

 method of $13,699, onatrausaction which represents less than one thirtieth of the total 

 annual consumption in the State. This study also showed that if the average manu- 

 factured fertilizer had contained as much plant food as was contained in the mixtures 

 made from the 700 tons of materials purchased, the total amount used in 1892 would 

 have been contained in 23,172 tons, instead of 33,821 tons, or a ditference of 10,649 tons. 

 A comparison of the selling price and valuation of the mixed goods exan)ined this 

 year shows further that the cost to the farmer for mixing, bagging, and selling 

 averaged $9.70 per ton, or a total for the 10,649 tons of $93,295. That is, the labor 

 connected with the handling and selling of 10,000 tons of absolutely worthless 

 materials amounted to nearly $100,000. 



" In buying manufacturers' mixtures distinct advantages in quality and cost are 

 secured when bought direct from the manufacturers instead of from local agents." 



Fertilizers, S. M. Tracy (Missisnippi Sta. Ept. ISOS, pp. 40-43). — A summary of 

 Bulletin 29 of the station (E. S. R., 6, p. 395). 



The use of human excrement as a fertilizer, J. H. Yogel {Dent, landw. Presse, 

 22 {1895), So. S, pp. 66, 67; No. 10, pp. S3, S4; Xo. 11, p. 02). 



The cause of the relatively incomplete utilization of the nitrogen of stable 

 manure, P. Wagner {Deut. Javdw. I'rcstic, 22 {1S95), No. 11, pp. 01, 02; No. 12, pp. 08, 09, 

 figs. 1.5). 



The loss in the fertilizing value of stable manure w^hen exposed, G. Catani 

 {Staz. Spei: Agr. Ital., 28 {1895), No. l,pp. 60-67). 



