On valuation. — The market value of the higher grades of agricul- 

 tural chemicals and compound fertilizers depends in the majority of 

 cases on the amount and tlie particular form of three essential articles 

 of plant food tiiey contain, i. e. nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid. 

 Supply and demand controls 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 [lounds contained in a ton of two 

 thousand pounds by the trade value per pound of each of the three 

 above stated essential constituents of plant food present. The same 

 course is adopted with reference to the different forms of each, — 

 wherever different prices are recognized in the trade. Adding the 

 different values— per ton, — obtained, we find the total value per ton at 

 the principle place of distribution. 



As farmers are frequently not in the position to secure the desired 

 information regarding the legitimate market cost of the fertilizers, 

 they wish to secure, the official inspectors of- commercial fertilizers 

 have aided them for years to ascertain the conditions of the fertilizer 

 trade, with reference to current market prices of the leading or 

 standard raw materials, as 



Sulphate of Ammonia, Dry Ground Fish, 



Nitrate of Soda, Azotiu, 



Muriate of Potash, Ammonite, 



Sulphate of Potash, Castor Pomace, 



Dried Blood, Bone and Tankage, 



Dried Ground Meat, Plain Snper[)hosphates, etc., 



which serve largely in the manufacture of good fertilizers for our 

 market, — and have published the results of their inquiries in form of 

 tables, stating the average trade values per pound for the preceed- 

 ing six months, of the different kinds and forms of fertilizing mate- 

 rials at the leading places of distribution. The results of a recent 

 meeting of the representatives of the Agricultural Ex[)erimentStation3 

 of Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Massachusetts are 

 presented below : 



