SOME FACTS ABOUT COMMERCIAL FER- 

 TILIZERS IN NEW YORK STATE.* 



L. L. VAN SLVKE. 



SUMMARY. 



1. The farmers of New York State expend four and one-half mil- 

 lion dollars a year for commercial fertilizers. Therefore, good busi- 

 ness judgment should be used in such purchases. The object of this 

 bulletin is to point out how better economy may be realized by pur- 

 chasing plant-foods. 



2. The general practice among farmers is to buy complete medium 

 or low-grade fertilizers in preference to high-grade fertilizers. In 

 high-grade goods, the cost of plant-food is considerably less than in 

 fertilizers of lower grade. 



3. Available phosphoric acid is cheapest in the form of dissolved 

 rock (acid phosphate). Bone-meal furnishes a cheap source of 

 phosphoric acid in less available form. Nitrate of soda is one of the 

 cheapest sources of nitrogen, while bone is another. Nitrogen in the 

 form of dried blood is rather high. Potash in the form of muriate is 

 the cheapest source of potash. In mixtures of fertilizing materials, 

 whether complete or incomplete, the plant-food usually costs more 

 than in unmixed materials. 



4. When purchasing mixed fertilizers, farmers are advised to 

 purchase only high-grade goods, and then to make a commercial 

 valuation to compare with the selling price. Even in high-grade 



A reprint of Bulletin No. 230. 



