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Ground Tankage. — Seventeen samples of tankage have been inspected, 

 necessitating 17 analyses. Eight deficiencies were found in nitrogen, and 

 four brands showed deficiency in phosphoric acid. The average total nitro- 

 gen found was 7.20 per cent; the average phosphoric acid found was 10.23 

 per cent. The average retail cash price has been $76.2.3 per ton, and the 

 average commercial valuation, $74.73. Assuming that a pound of phos- 

 phoric acid in tankage is worth 6^ cents, the cost of a pound of nitrogen from 

 this source would have been 43.7 cents. The following brands have shown a 

 commercial shortage of $1 or over per ton, values of overruns on one element 

 being used in all cases to offset shortages in the other : — 



A. W. Higgins, Westfield, Mass. — High Grade Tankage, Nos. 77, 173, 

 195 and 464: average nitrogen found, 8.47 per cent, guaranteed, 9 per cent; 

 average phosphoric acid found, 7.95 per cent, guaranteed, 7 per cent. 



Three other samples of this brand did not show a commercial shortage. 

 Mr. Higgins informs us that all of this tankage was bought on the unit basis 

 of nitrogen. Deficiencies were made good by rebates in all cases. 



Nitrate Agencies Co. — High Grade Ground Tankage, No. 749: nitrogen 

 found, 7.83 per cent, guaranteed, 8.20 per cent; phosphoric acid found, 3.83 

 per cent, guaranteed 4.50 per cent. A proper rebate was allowed for these 

 deficiencies. 



Dry Ground Fish. — Thirty samples of fish were inspected, necessitating 

 21 analyses. Eleven samples were found deficient in nitrogen, and two in 

 phosphoric acid. The average retail cash price has been $100.85 per ton, 

 and the average commercial valuation, $93.93. The average total nitrogen 

 found was 7.92 per cent, the average phosphoric acid was 11.69 per cent. 

 Allowing 7 cents as the value of a pound of phosphoric acid, the nitrogen in 

 dry ground fish would have cost on the average 53.3 cents per pound. The 

 following brands showed a commercial shortage of over $1 per ton, values of 

 overruns on one element being used in all cases to offset shortages in the 

 other : — 



A. W. Higgins, Westfield, Mass. — Dry Ground Fish, Nos. 2, 8, 9, 89 and 

 117: average nitrogen found, 7.09 per cent, guaranteed, 8.23 per cent; aver- 

 age phosphoric acid found, 16.61 per cent, guaranteed, 13 per cent. 



Deficiencies in all of the above cases have been made good by proper 

 rebates by Mr. Higgins. Six other samples of this brand were found well 

 up to the minimum guarantee. 



F. S. Royster Guano Co. — Royster's Dry Ground Fish, No. 211: nitrogen 

 found, 7.49 per cent, guaranteed, 8.28 per cent; phosphoric acid found, 8.24 

 per cent, guaranteed, 5 per cent. 



