388 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The distinguished reporter, E. Wolff, of Hohenheim, states 

 also that the latter price is only paid in those sections where 

 but small quantities of artificial fertilizers are sold, and but 

 little competition disputes the market. 



The majority of our home-made superphosphates do not 

 contain more than from 7 to 10 per cent, of soluble phosphoric 

 acid, for which our farmers are usually paying at the rate of 

 from 18 to 20 cents per pound. There is apparently no 

 necessity for this condition of our trade in fertilizers as com- 

 pared with that of Europe ; for some of the most valuable 

 mineral phosphates used on both continents for the manu- 

 facture of superphosphates are found on this side of the 

 Atlantic. The same fact is true, to some extent, at least, as 

 far as two of the important resources of nitrogen are con- 

 cerned — guano and Chili saltpetre. The difference in the 

 price of sulphuric acid alone does not account for the high 

 price our farmers are asked to pay. Some of our most enter- 

 prising manufacturers even concede that they can supply their 

 customers at as liberal terms as any European manufacturer 

 is capable of doing. 



It seems that all we need to do is to treat the artificial com- 

 mercial fertilizers like other merchandise, — render ourselves 

 familiar with the extent and the nature of our resources, 

 notice the fluctuation in the market price of their essential 

 constituents, and pay for these only with reference to their 

 peculiar fitness for immediate action on the growth of 

 plants. 



The following tabular statement may prove, in this connec- 

 tion, of interest : — 



