118 Report of the Acting Director and Chemist of the 



gen, potash and phosphoric acid in available forms as possible for 

 one dollar, instead of as many pounds as possible of fertilizer, re- 

 gardless of the amount of plant-food contained in it. This is 

 particularly applicable to mixed fertilizers, which at present form 

 the great bulk of fertilizers sold in this State. Since there is smaller 

 bulk to handle in mixing, a smaller number of packages for holding 

 and, consequently, less weight and freight, it is, as a rule, more 

 economical to purchase fertilizers in their more concentrated forms. 

 For illustration, it is more enconomical to purchase one ton of a 

 high-grade fertilizer than three tons of a low-grade fertilizer, one 

 ton of the former containing the same amount of plant-food con- 

 tained in three tons of the latter ; because, in making the latter, 

 three times as many packages are required and three times as much 

 freight must be paid, all for the same amount of plant-food. 



Fineness and Dryness of Fertilizers Important.— Fertilizers 

 can not, as a nile, be in too finely powdered condition nor can 

 they be too dry. With many materials, bone for example, the 

 availability as plant-food is directly dependent upon the fineness 

 of division. Two commercial fertilizers containing the same 

 amount of plant- food in the same forms may differ considerably in 

 respect to the availability of that food and, consequently, in re- 

 spect to their agricultural value, if one is coarsely and the other 

 finely ground. Excessive moisture in fertilizers is undesirable 

 on several grounds. First, the larger the amount of moisture, 

 the smaller will be the amount of plant-food in a ton. Second, 

 ■excess of moisture causes the particles to stick together and is 

 likely to result in caking and in clogging when used in drills. 

 Third, an excess of moisture favors the decomposition and loss of 

 nitrogen in many forms of organic matter. This is shown by the 

 fact that some fertilizers give off a very offensive odor if allowed to 

 become damp, while they are comparatively free from disagreeable 

 odors if they are thoroughly dry. A strong odor in a fertilizer is an 

 indication that organic matter is decomposing and nitrogen is being 

 lost and indicates weakness and loss rather than strength as a 

 fertilizer. 



Taking Advantage of Fluctuating Prices. — By watching the 

 luarket variations, it is possible to save more or less. It often hap- 

 pens that lower prices prevail during that part of the year when 

 the farmer has most leisure. In any case, where home-mixing is 

 practised, it should be done before the beginning of the busy season. 



