236 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



that is to say, each pound of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash is 

 rated at a certain price, and the value of a ton of the fertilizer calcu- 

 lated on this basis, just as a grocer would make out a bill for a lot of 

 tea, coffee, sugar, by charging a certain price per pound for each, and 

 adding the products to make the amount of the bill. It will be remem- 

 bered that each per cent, or pound in 100 pounds will be equal to 20 

 pounds in a ton of 2,000 pounds. 



Here, for instance, is an analysis and valuation by Professor Goess- 

 mann: 



Fish guano. 



Per cent 



Moisture at 1000-110° C 17.50 



Organic matter 53. 20 



Ash constitueuta 29. 30 



Phosphoric acid in ash 7.72 



Nitrogen in organic matter 6. 46 



Valuation per ton of 2,000 pounds : 



154. 4 pounds of phosphoric acid, at 6 cents per pound $9. 26 



129. 2 pounds of nitrogen, at 25 cents per pound 32. 30 



$41.56 



The following statements are from the Connecticut experiment sta- 

 tion report for 1876. 



The statements and tables given in the other parts of this report will 

 supply sufficient data for judging the values of nitrogen, phosphoric 

 acid, and potash in different forms in which they are most commonly 

 obtained in the markets. The commercial value of a fertilizer of which 

 the analysis is given may be calculated by the following rule : 



I. Multiply the per cent, of each valuable ingredient by 20 to get the 

 number of pounds in a ton of 2,000 pounds. Multiply the number (thus 

 found) of pounds of each ingredient by its assumed value per pound. 

 The sum of these products will be the estimated commercial value of a 

 ton of the fertilizer. Or, 



II. Multiply the number of " units" (per cent.) of each ingredient by 

 the assumed value per unit, and add the products. The sum will be 

 the estimated value per ton. 



What will be fair valuations will depend upon the material by which 

 they are furnished, their market value at the time, the amounts pur- 

 chased, time of payment, distance from market, &c. For the common 

 superphosphates, bought in ton-lots for cash in our larger cities, the 

 following figures will not be far out of the way : 



Per pound. Per unit. 



Nitrogen 21 cents, $4 20 



Phosphoric acid, Soluble , 12^ cents. 2 50 



Phosphoric acid, reverted 9 cents. 180 



Phosphoric acid, ins., from bones, meat,orfish 6 cents. 120 



Phosphoric acid, ins., from bone-black 5 cents. 100 



Phosphoric acid, ins., from fossil and mineral phosphates 3J cents. 65 



It must be remembered, however, that the values thus calculated are 

 not agricultural values. 



