11 Feb., 1918.] Inspection of Fertilizers. 97 



crop under to ultimately suppy the soil with humus and nitrogen, is a 

 good one, but it is not always applicable. 



There are districts in the southern part of Victoria where a dressing 

 of a nitrogenous phosphatic fertilizer such as " bone-blood " or " bone 

 dust " proves very useful, and the manufacturer selling this fertilizer in 

 the unmixed condition to the farmer at a fair price it- doing his country, 

 the farmer, and himself, a good turn. 



" Breaking down " a fertilizer containing from, 4 to 7 per cent, of 

 nitrogen to " build up " another, so that it will contain from 0.75 to 1.5 

 per cent, of this element, is practically destroying the former fertilizer 

 altogether, and producing a mixture little better and more costly than 

 the original, which has undergone the "building up" process. You 

 cannot have the apple and eat it. Needless to say, in the compounding 

 of manures the unit value of the fertilizing elements or compounds, 

 viz., nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, is considerably increased, and 

 it follows that this increase is greater when the manufacturer is asked 

 to mix. 



The price of 1 per cent, nitrogen in "bone-blood " or " bone dust " 

 is increased both directly and indireictly wiien used in admixture. 



From the economical stand-point the farmer shovild remember that 

 he pays a higher rate for nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in 

 " mixed " fertilizers than he does for the same in the simple fertilizers. 



It must be borne in mind that manufacturers produce fertilizers 

 according to demand, and the farmer should know full well that the 

 more he asks the manufacturer to handle fertilizers the higher will be 

 the price to be paid per ton. This is true in ordinary times, but during 

 the present era of stress and labour shortage the price undergoes a 

 marked increase. 



Referring once again to the fertilizers mentioned in Tables II., III., 

 and IV., viz., "bone-supers," the farmer should demand "bone 

 dust superphosphate." Failing to obtain this he should buy the manures 

 separately, and mix them on the farm, i.e., if the mixture is absolutely 

 essential. 



The point to be impressed upon the farmer is this : Given that appli- 

 cations of phosphoric acid and nitrogen are profitable, apply nitrogenous 

 and phosphatic fertilizers, but apply them in the cheapest manner 

 possible. 



This does not mean buying and applying the cheapest rubbish on 

 the market, but rather buying the high-grade simple manures at a 

 reasonable price, and either mixing them on the farm or applying them 

 to the soil in the simple condition. 



Endeavours should always be made to keep the unit values of the 

 eosential fertilizing element or compound as low as possible. 



During the past season the " mixed " fertilizer termed "bone ferti- 

 lizer-superphosphate," was sold at a monetary depreciation of 22 per 

 cent., whilst in the case of that sold as " superphosphate-bone "_ the 

 difference in value between the priceo charged and value received 

 amounted to 13 per cent, in favour ol the former. {See Tables III. 

 and IV.) 



On the other hand, the single sample of " bone dust superphosphate " 

 collected, which was made by a country manufacturer, showed on the 

 unit value computation, higher value received than was charged for. 

 [See Table II.) 

 17260.— 2 



