16 Station Bulletin 362 



comparisons made here onl\' the quantities of the three principal chem- 

 icals are considered. 



The chemicals in mixed fertilizers, in 1944, cost from 12 to 63 per 

 cent more than the cost of the same quantities when purchased as 33'/^ 

 per cent (average of 32/: and 34 per cent) ammonium nitrate, 60 per 

 cent muriate of potash, and 20 per cent superphosphate. The high- 

 analyses mixed fertilizers of over 25 units cost an average of 23.7 per cent 

 more than when purchased separately, while those in fertilizers of 25 

 units and under cost an average of 44.3 per cent more. (See Table 8.) 



Table 8. — Comparison of Cost cf Chemicals in Mixed Fertilizers with the Cost 

 of the Same Amount of Chemicals Purchased Separately* 



* In form of: ammonium nitrate 33li N. (aver.) at $55.80. 

 60% muriate of potash at $48.37. 

 20% superphosphate at $27.67. 



Prices vs. Freight Differentials on 

 Fertilizers Delivered in New Hampshire 



Most fertilizer companies have established two price zones in New- 

 Hampshire; one, the seven southern counties; the other, the three north- 

 ern counties, Coos, Grafton, and Carroll. Presumably, these zones are 

 made as a convenience factor in pricing, and, as a result, some New 

 Hampshire farmers pay less than the freight differentials and others pay 

 more. However, all fertilizer companies do not follow the same prac- 

 tices, nor do they all use the same differentials between southern and 

 northern New Hampshire. 



One company uses a smaller zone differential and another quotes 

 on an f.o.b. basis; thus, each farmer would have a differential in accord- 

 ance with freight rates. 



Although the convenience of price zones is apparent, the method 

 of arriving at the differentials is less clear. However, the variation in 

 volume of business in different areas may be one factor. The differential 

 between the fertilizer prices in southern and in northern New Hamp- 

 shire, in a number of cases, is larger than the actual freight differential. 

 In the example shown in Table 9 the actual price differential on 5-10-10 

 for Colebrook ranged from $2.01 a ton more to 65 cents less a ton than 

 the difference in freight costs to Colebrook and Dovxr. In comparing 



