1898.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. Ill 



ports of the State inspector, which are open to the public ; 

 to these records this office invariably refers all parties asking 

 for information in that direction. 



Valuation of Commercial Fertilizers. 



The market value of the higher grades of agricultural 

 chemicals and compound fertilizers depends in the major- 

 ity of cases on the amount and the particular form of three 

 essential articles of plant food which they contain, i.e., nitro- 

 gen, potash and phosphoric acid. Supply and demand con- 

 trol the temporary market prices not less in the fertilizer 

 trade than in other lines of commercial business. 



The approximate market value of a fertilizer, simple or 

 compound, is obtained by multiplying the pounds contained 

 in a ton of two thousand pounds by the trade value per 

 pound of each of the three above-stated essential constitu- 

 ents of plant food present. The same course is adopted 

 with reference to the different forms of each, wherever dif- 

 ferent prices are recognized in the trade. Adding the dif- 

 ferent values per ton obtained, we find the total value per 

 ton at the principal place of distribution. 



As farmers are quite frequently not in the position to 

 secure the desired information regarding the market cost 

 of fertilizers they wish to secure, the official inspectors of 

 commercial fertilizers have aided them for years in ascer- 

 taining the current market prices of the following leading 

 or standard raw materials : — 



Sulphate of ammonia. 

 Nitrate of soda. 

 Muriate of potash. 

 Sulphate of potash. 

 Cotton-seed meal. 

 Dry ground fish. 

 Azotin. 



Ammoniate. 



Castor pomace. 



Linseed meal. 



Dried blood. 



Dried groimd meat. 



Bone and tankage. 



Plain superphosphates, etc. 



Which serve largely in the manufacture of good fertilizers 

 for our market ; and have published the results of their in- 

 quiries in form of tables, stating the average trade values 

 per pound, for the six months preceding, of the different 

 kinds and forms of fertilizing materials at the leading places 

 of distribution. 



