FERTILIZERS. 541 



after drying, produces rather more than two tons of dissolved 

 phosphate. The cost of the acid, the drier, and the expense 

 of manipulation, will make the cost of the dissolved phosphate 

 more than four times that of the raw. Subtract from this the 

 $1 in every $i I, for the excess of increase of crop, and it readily 

 appears how the case stands. It ought to be insisted and 

 demanded that our colleges and stations should make exhaus- 

 tive studies of this question, each in its own locality. 



If the expense of the sulphuric-acid treatment and necessary 

 drier can be eliminated from the commercial fertilizers, it ought 

 unquestionably to be done. In British agriculture the ammo- 

 niated superphosphates have scarcely a place. Their animal 

 manures and fallow crops are the chief source of combined 

 nitrogen. They do not apply their phosphate to the wheat 

 crop, but to the root crop which precedes the wheat in their 

 rotations. In fact, they apply no fertilizer to the wheat, unless 

 in spring it seems to grow off slowly, or has a yellow look ; in 

 which case, they apply from 100 to 1 50 pounds per acre of sodium 

 nitrate. 



Animal manure is evidently the sheet-anchor of British agri- 

 culture. It ought to be the sheet-anchor of American agricul- 

 ture. It ought to be supplemented here, as it is there, by fallow 

 crops and commercial manures. Unless a scientific system of 

 fertilization is adopted, the American wheat area will in future 

 rapidly decline in producing capacity ; whereas, early in the 

 new century, we shall have population able to consume the 

 present product, unless, through pauperism intensified, the 

 people are reduced to half rations and cheaper forms of food. 

 The history of nations is before us : Will we be wise or foolish ? 

 Will we profit, or fail to profit, by the examples of the past ? 

 Having an abiding faith in the wisdom, courage, and patriotism 

 of the people, this writer is convinced that the necessary 

 reforms will be enacted into laws, at no distant day, which will 

 cause prosperity to return to the people. 



When agriculture begins again to be profitable, its scientific 

 pursuit will begin again to be possible. At present it is not so. 

 In general, and excluding certain local and special cases, a scien- 

 tific system of fertilization will simply cost more than the value 

 of the product in the hands of the producer. At present, 



