16 



The above average shows that about 76.8 per cent, of the total potash was 

 soluble in water, as against 78 per cent, for the previous year. Wood ashes 

 have been sold largely on the basis of $5 per unit for the total potash which 

 they contained. This would make the actual K2O cost at the rate of 25 cents 

 per pound, no charge being made for phosphoric acid or hme. Many car- 

 loads, however, have been sold for a flat price of $20 per ton. Where they 

 were sold on the ton basis, as a general rule, the ashes have not been as high 

 grade, containing more water and insoluble earthy matter. The only safe 

 way to obtain a good quality of wood ashes is to buy them on the unit basis, 

 which means at a given price per pound of actual potash. Furthermore, this 

 is the most equitable manner of purchasing not only wood ashes but almost all 

 fertilizing materials. They are thus bought and sold almost without excep- 

 tion by the fertilizer brokers and manufacturers. The samples of wood ashes 

 showing a commercial shortage are as follows: — 



Avies Plow Co. — North's Hardwood Ashes, No. 893 : soluble potassium 

 oxide found, 2.91 per cent., guaranteed, 6.30 per cent.; phosphoric acid found, 

 1.42 per cent., guaranteed, 1.50 per cent. 



Joseph Breck & Sons Corporation. — Breck's Wood Ashes, No. 307 : soluble 

 potassium oxide found, .41 per cent., guaranteed, 2 per cent. ; phosphoric acid 

 found, .41 per cent., guaranteed, .50 per cent. 



R. & J. Farquhar & Co. — Farquhar's Pure Canada Unleached Hardwood 

 Ashes, No. 320: soluble potassium oxide found, .68 per cent., guaranteed, 

 3 per cent.; phosphoric acid found, .37 per cent., guaranteed, 1 per cent. 



John Joynt. — Seventeen carloads of ashes, represented by the following 

 laboratory numbers, were found commercially deficient: Nos. 3, 4, 5, 17, 21, 

 26, 28, 30, 42, 56, 82, 155, 196, 281, 940, 941 and 942. The details regarding 

 these shortages are given in the tables of analyses. It might be said in this 

 connection that rebates figured by this office have been allowed by Mr. Joynt 

 in all cases where shortages have occurred. 



Acid Phosphate. — Forty-three samples of acid phosphate have been 

 examined, necessitating 27 analyses. The average per cent, of available phos- 

 phoric acid found was 16.49. Acid phosphate has cost on the average $27.34 

 per ton, making the pound of available phosphoric acid from this source cost 

 8.29 cents. Two samples have shown a commercial shortage. 



Lowell Fertilizer Co. — Acid Phosphate (14 per cent.). No. 260: available 

 phosphoric acid found, 12.56 per cent., guaranteed, 14 per cent. 



Sanderson Fertilizer & Chemical Co. — Acid Phosphate (16 per cent.). No. 

 480: available phosphoric acid found, 15.46 per cent., guaranteed, 16 per 

 cent. 



