404 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



ton of the highest grade goods one buys more and better nitrogen, as 

 much potash, and enough phosphoric acid to balance them, for less 

 money than he would pay for a ton of low-grade goods, because he 

 saves half the cost of the above different items. 



An economical use of manurial substances from any source is 

 only possible after the local condition of the soil under considera- 

 tion as well as the special wants of the crops to be raised, are each 

 duly considered. It becomes the business of every progressive 

 farmer to acquire such information as is called for to select intelli- 

 gently from the various manurial resources at his disposal, those 

 materials which will meet best his wants for a complete fertilizer. 



The mechanical condition of any fertilizing material, simple or 

 compound, deserves the most serious consideration of farmers, when 

 articles of a similar chemical character are offered for their choice. 

 The degree of pulverization controls almost without exception, un- 

 der similar conditions, the rate of solubility, and the more or less 

 rapid diffusion of the different articles of plant-food throughout the 

 soil. 



The state of moisture exerts a no less important influence on 

 the pecuniary value in case of one and the same kind of substance. 

 Two samples of fish fertilizers, although equally pure, may differ 

 from 50 to 100 per cent in commercial value, on account of mere 

 difference in moisture. 



It is of the first importance when buying fertilizers for home 

 consumption to consider their cost with reference to what they prom- 

 ise to furnish. The high priced fertilizers may prove in many in- 

 stances cheaper than the lower priced one when judged from that 

 standpoint. 



The agricultural value of a fertilizer is measured by the bene- 

 fit received from its use, and depends upon its fertilizing effect, or 

 crop-producing power. As a broad, general rule, it is true that Peru- 

 vian guano, superphosphates, fish-crabs, dried blood, potash salts, 

 plaster, etc., have a high agricultural value which is related to their 

 trade value, and to a degree determines the latter value. But the rule 

 has many exceptions, and in particular instances the trade-value can 

 not always be expected to fix or even indicate the agricultural value. 

 Fertilizing effect depends largely upon soil, crop and weather, and 

 as these vary from place to place, and from year to year, it can not 

 be foretold or estimated except by the result of past experience, and 

 then only in a general and probable manner. 



The agricultural value and the commercial value of fertilizing 

 materials are not synonymous terms. The agricultural value of a 

 fertilizer is determined by the increase and quality produced by it 

 in the crop. The commercial value of a fertilizer is determined by 

 the cost of the materials which enter into its composition. A fer- 

 tilizing material of high commercial value may have a low agricul- 

 tural value on a particular soil or crop. On another soil or crop the 

 same material may have a high agricultural value. 



Plant food is not the only condition which controls the 

 growth of the crop and the corresponding yield. In fact it may, at 



