THROWING AWAY MONEY. 197 



Water, 31.00 



Organic matter, ...... 35.00 



Phosphate of Ihue and various salts with sand, 34.00 



100.00 



This is better, but still one-third of the whole bulk is perfectly 

 worthless. A popular " superphosphate " recently examined, 

 gave twenty-two per cent, of water and only five and one-lialf 

 per cent, of soluble phosphate. The fact that husbandmen 

 are not generally competent to judge of the value of compounds 

 offered as fertilizers, has led to placing on sale some of the most 

 absurd substances and mixtures which human ingenuity can 

 discover or devise. 



A heavy powder called the Grafton Mineral Fertilizer has 

 come into the market within a year or two, and has secured a 

 large sale at high prices. What is the nature of this powder ? 

 Let us judge of it by the analysis which is presented in connec- 

 tion with its sale. Here it is : — 



Silica, 30.3 



Protoxide of iron, 6.27 



Lime, . . 20.6 



Magnesia, ....... 11.17 



Carbonic acid, ...... 32.11 



This statement gives 30 per cent, sand, a small quantity of 

 iron, and the remainder is carbonate of lime and magnesia. One- 

 third (the sand), it is plain to see, is worthless ; the iron is of no 

 account, as every soil in New England furnishes from the 

 decomposition of the sulphurcts an abundant supply ; the car- 

 bonates of lime and magnesia are worth something, but how 

 much ? little more than ground oyster or clam shells. I would 

 hardly give five dollars a ton for this insoluble, unassimilable 

 powder delivered at my farm. In fact, I should not want it at 

 any price. 



I make these remarks in tiie interest of agriculture solely. I 

 do not know the names of the parties who grind the rock or 

 vend the powder. In justice to them, it should be said, that 

 they do not appear to sell it under any false statements as to its 



