PURCHASING FERTILIZERS 

 IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 



By Lawrence A. Dougherty 



FERTILIZER PURCHASES constitute an important item among 

 the cash production costs of New Hampshire farmers. Such purchases 

 are important not only because they are often large in amount but also 

 because they may materially increase profits realized in an area where 

 most soils need lime and fertilizer applications. 



This study was undertaken to determine some of the practices in 

 purchasing and to indicate possible ways of making savings in such 

 purchases. 



AMOUNTS OF FERTILIZER AND LIME USED 



In the 20-year period ending in 1943, annual fertilizer sales have 

 ranged from 10,000 tons, in 1931, to 29,000 tons, in 1943. Large increases 

 in the amounts of lime used have also occurred in the last few years. This 

 may be accounted for in part by government subsidies and by a more 

 general knowledge covering the benefits of its use. An average of 

 30,342 tons was used in the 1940-1942 periods as compared with an aver- 

 age of 3700 tons in the three-year period, nine years earlier. (See Appen- 

 dix, Tables A-1 and A-2.) 



Fertilizer from Government and Private Sources 



An increasing proportion of the lime and fertilizer has been ob- 

 tained by farmers from government sources. (See Figure 1.) This is 

 due to the fact that the Agricultural Adjustment Administration has fur- 

 nished such fertilizer at a very low direct cash cost as an inducement for 

 farmers to follow certain practices of soil conservation. 



The percentage of the fertilizers coming through government agen- 

 cies, based on available reports, has changed from 47 per cent for the 

 1939-1940 season to 69 per cent in the 1942-1943 season. The relative 

 amount of mixed fertilizers sold as compared to materials has also in- 

 creased, ranging from one-third of the total in 1940 and 1941 to about 

 two-thirds of the total in 1943. 



Tonnage and Sources of Superphosphates 



In the three-year period, 1940-1942, the amount of superphosphates 

 used in New Hampshire ranged from 13,486 tons to 14,556 tons (20 per 

 cent basis), but dropped under 8000 in 1943. In the four-year period, 

 1940-1943, the average tonnage was 12,443, 87 per cent of which came 

 through government agencies and 13 per cent from private sources.* 

 (See Figure 2.) The amounts purchased in each county, in 1943, are 



Based on government reports. 



