4o6 



Report of tiik Insim-Citon Work. 



have been kept up to about the same average without any de- 

 terioration. 



NUMBER OF BRANDS BELOW GUARANTEE. 



In the following table, we indicate the number of brands falling 

 more than one-half of one per cent, below guarantee during the 

 past five years: 



Number of brands more than 0.5 per ct... 

 below guarantee in nitrogen 



Number of brands more than 0.5 per ct. be low- 

 guarantee in available phosphoric acid 



Number of brands more than 0.5 per ct. in 

 potash 



14 

 33 



22 



12 



24 

 58 



II 



20 



6 

 6 

 16 



2 



7 



30 



We notice that from 1898 on there has been a marked con- 

 tinuous decrease in the number of brands that were more than 

 one-half of one per cent, below guarantee. This indicates that 

 manufacturers are doing more uniform work in mixing their 

 goods. The showing is a very satisfactory one. 



Prices of Commercial Fertilizers. 



Average selling price, per ton 



Average commercial valuation 



Excess of selling price above com- 

 mercial valuation 



Cost of one pound of nitrogen in 

 mixed fertilizers 



Cost of one pound of available phos- 

 phoric acid in mixed fertilizers. - . 



Cost of one pound of potash in 

 mixed fertilizers 



$26-14 

 20.76 



538 



20 -8 CtS. 

 6.1 " 



5-7 " 



We notice that there has been a general tendency in the direc- 

 tion of lower average selling prices and an increase in commercial 

 valuations, resulting in a smaller difference, from year to year, 

 between the selling price and commercial valuation. There has 

 also been a slight tendency in the direction of lower prices for 

 each pound of plant-food. 



