466 



SORGHUM. 



stand tliat the determination in a commercial fertilizer of the amount 

 of those constituents of ^vhich our various crops are composed, is a 

 chemical question, and we have, in most of the states, chemists ap- 

 pointed, whose duty it is to analyze and report upon such fertilizers as 

 are offered for sale. The result of this chemical supervision gives 

 abundant evidence that this work of the agricultural cliemists of the 

 country has, even in a pecuniary sense, very greatly added to the 

 profits of the farmt r. 



The following tahle contains the results of analyses of commercial 

 fertilizers, made by different chemists in different states during the 

 past thirteen years, and shows the improvement which has taken place 

 during these years, both in quality and price : 



IMPROVEMENT IX FEUTIUZEIIS. 



Xo. an- 

 alyzed. 



18(i8 . 

 1870-2 

 1H71-2 

 1S7'> . 

 I87S.. 

 1881.. 

 1881.. 



Chemist. 



.lohnson. . 

 Bruckner . 

 Storer. 

 Collier 

 Goessman 



Dabnev 



Genth . . . . 



Avcrasre 

 niJirket 

 price. 



?.")9 47 

 50 07 

 56 86 



37 40 

 34«79 



Avorase 

 value. 



.fn rr, 

 17 CO 

 36 3-2 



3:^ 26 

 32 93 



Per rent 



i)f value 



to eo^t. 



From the above results, it will be seen that, within the past thirteen 

 years, tlie average price per ton has fallen fr;)m $o9.47 t) $31. "9, or 

 41.5 per cent, while the intrinsic value joer ton has increased during 

 the same period from an average value of 821.o6 to $32.93 i)er ton, or 

 54.2 per cent. In other words, did the same relation of value t) cost 

 obtain to-day whicli existed in 1808, th.e average c st of the fertilizers 

 analyzed by Dr. Genth would have been 891.68 per ton, Avhereas it 

 is $34.79, equal to 38 per cent only, thus showhig that t'.ie i)urcha?er 

 of commercial fertilizers of to-day makes an average saving of 62 per 

 cent. 



Not' only has this great saving been effected during the past few- 

 years, but it is to be observed, also, that the basis of valuation of these 

 fertilizers has also been changed, and in this way increased greatly the 

 benefit accrning to the purchaser and consumer of the.-e commercial 

 products. For example, in 1869, the value generally given to s )luble 

 phosphoric acid was 16^ cents per pound, while now the same constitu- 

 ent is estimated at 12 cents per pound. 



Tlie above statement but partially represents the whole truth in this 

 matter — for, besides these, as one might say, legitimate product?, there 



