486 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



cial fertilizers have been added for the purpose of assisting 

 those not yet fixmiliar with the current mode of ascertaining 

 the commercial value of the essential articles of plant-food 

 as specified by chemical analysis. 



One hundred and eight analyses are reported within the 

 subsequent pages. 



The valuation which accompanies the analysis of a fertil- 

 izer should inform the consumer, as far as practicable, re- 

 garding the cash retail price at which the several specified 

 elements of plant-food, in an efficient form, have been 

 oflfered for sale in our principal markets at the beginning of 

 the season. 



The market value of manurial substances, as bones, salt, 

 ashes, various compounds of lime, barnyard manure, factory 

 refuse and waste materials of different description, quite 

 frequently does not stand in a close relation to their chemi- 

 cal composition. Their cost varies in different localities. 

 Local facilities for cheap transportation, and more or less 

 advantageous mechanical condition for a speedy action, ex- 

 ert, as a rule, a decided influence on their selling price. 



The market reports of centres of trade in New England, 

 New York and New Jersej'^, aside from consultations with 

 leading manufacturers of fertilizers, have furnished us the 

 necessary information regarding the current trade value of 

 fertilizino- in2;redients. 



The subsequent statement of cash values in the retail trade 

 is obtained by taking the average of the wholesale quotations 

 in New York and Boston during the six months preceding 

 March 1, 1887, and increasing them 20 per cent., to cover 

 expenses for sales, credits, etc. 



These trade values, except those for phosphoric acid 

 soluble in ammonium citrate, were agreed upon by the Ex- 

 periment Stations of Massachusetts, Connecticut and New 

 Jersey, for use in their several States for the last season. 



