1892.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 253 



more or less advantageous mechanical condition for a speedy 

 action, exert, as a rule, a decided influence on their selling 

 price. 



The mechanical condition of any fertilizing material, sim- 

 ple 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 con- 

 trols, almost without exception, under 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 offish fertilizers, although equally 

 pure, may differ from fifty to one hundred per cent, in com- 

 mercial value, on account of mere difference in moisture. 



Crude stock for the manufacture of fertilizers, and refuse 

 materials of various descriptions, have to be valued with 

 reference to the market price of their principal constituents, 

 taking into consideration at the same time their general fit- 

 ness for speedy action. 



Trade Values of Fertilizing Ingredients in Raw Materials and 

 Chemicals (1891). 



Cents 

 per Pound. 



Nitrogen in ammoniates, 18^ 



Nitrogen in nitrates,* 14£ 



Organic nitrogen in dry and fine ground fish, meat, blood, 15£ 



Organic nitrogen in cotton-seed meal and castor pomace, . 15 



Organic nitrogen in fine-ground bone and tankage, . . 15 



Organic nitrogen in fine-ground medium bone and tankage, 12 



Organic nitrogen in medium bone and tankage, . . 9| 



Organic nitrogen in coarser bone and tankage, 1\ 

 Organic nitrogen in hair, horn shavings and coarse fish 



scraps, 7 



Phosphoric acid soluble in water, 8 



Phosphoric acid soluble in ammonium citrate, . .. 7 A 



Phosphoric acid in dry ground fish, fine bone and tankage, 7 



Phosphoric acid in fine medium bone and tankage, . . b\ 



Phosphoric acid in medium bone and tankage, ... 4^ 



Phosphoric acid in coarse bone and tankage, ... 3 

 Potash as high-grade sulphate, and in forms free from 



muriate or chlorides, ashes, etc., h\ 



Potash as kainite, 4J 



Potash as muriate, 4J 



* The price of nitrate of soda has of late advanced, on account of the civil war in Chill. 



