21 



(3). That with a 28.9 per cent advance in price over the low 

 grade fertilizer, the high grade furnishes about 60 per cent increase in 

 available plant food. 



(4). The average high grade fretilizer, with about 16 per cent 

 advance in price over the medium grade goods, furnishes over 26 per 

 cent more plant food and 41 per cent increase in commercial value. 



(5). The percentage activity of total nitrogen was found to be 

 4.12, and the percentage activity of the organic nitrogen was 5.99 per 

 cent more in the high grade fertilizer than in the low grade brands. 



(6). When compared with the previous year it is found that the 

 percentage activity of the organic nitrogen in all of the grades of 

 fertilizer has been considerably improved. This would indicate 

 greater care in manufacture than has hitherto prevailed. 



Table showing the comparative cost per pound of nitrogen, potash 

 and phosphoric acid in its various forms in the three grades of fer- 

 tilizers. 



FORMS OF ELEMENT 



Low Grade 

 Fertilizer 



Medium Grade 

 Fertilizer 



High Grade 

 Fertilizer 



Nitrogen (as nitrates and ammoniates) 



Nitrogen (organic) 



Potasla (as muriate) 



Soluble phosphoric acid 



Reverted phosphoric acid 



Insoluble phosphoric acid 



36 . 2 cts 

 37.2 



8.3 



8.8 



7.8 



3.9 



29.5 ct 

 30.2 



6.8 



7.1 



6.4 



3.2 



24.1 cts 

 24.8 



5.5 



5.9 



5.2 



2 6 



This summary shows: 



(1). The most economical fertilizer to buy is the "high grade" 

 or the one valuing commercially $24.00 or over per ton. 



(2). The purchaser of high grade fertilizers in place of low grade 

 would save 12j cents on every pound of nitrogen and nearly 3 

 cents on every pound of potash and phosphoric acid. 



(3). Nitrogen in medium grade fertilizers has cost 6| cents and 

 potash and phosphoric acid 1| cents per pound more than in high 

 grade goods. 



(4). The plant food in a ton of the average high grade fertilizer 

 has cost $37.65. This same amount of plant food, if paid for on the 

 basis of the cost of the fertilizer elements in the low grade goods, would 

 have amounted to $56.49, an increase of $18.87. If purchased in the 

 form of medium grade fertilizer, the same amount of plant food would 

 have cost $46.06. 



(5). About 47 percent of the brands of fertilizer sold in the State 

 are classed as low and medium grade. This shows an improvement 

 over the preceding year when 52 per cent of the brands belonged to 

 these two classes. 



