ABOUT FISH GUANO. 



357 



of the fertilizers to the farmer at about $34. For farther 

 illustration, I add here an abstract from a printed commuui- 

 catioji of a manufacturer and wholesale dealer in fish guano of 

 this State. The following analytical results of fish guano 

 were given : — 



Water expelled at 100° C, 

 Organic and volatile matter, . 

 Bone pliosphate, .... 

 Nitrogen in animal matter, 

 Phosphoric acid in bone phosphate. 



43.03 



41.70 



9.99 



5.72 



4.58 



Below these printed analyses was stated in writing, " I am 

 selliug this fish guano now at $15 per ton, cash, by the car- 

 load, March, 1873." No distinction was made as to which of 

 the samples was meant, although there was an unusual differ- 

 ence in their commercial value. This will become partic- 

 ularly plain, by calculating each of these samples according 

 to the usual standard price of nitrogen and insoluble phos- 

 phoric acid in the retail transactions. 



Incorporated into our ordinary commercial fertilizers, — 



No. 1 would be valued per ton, 



2 <( (< " 



g (( (( a 



^ (( (( (( 



$38 00 



55 20 



59 70 



41 08 



There is an actual difference of $21.70 per ton, in the value 

 of sample No. 1, as compared with No. 3. A mixture of 

 equal quantities of these four kinds of fish guano would have 

 produced an article, which, according to the adopted scale of 

 valuation, has to be considered worth $48 per ton of 2,000 

 pounds. As the composition of such an article would entitle 

 its manufacturer to charge that amount, we find that the 

 farmer is expected to pay somewhat over 200 per cent, on 

 the first cost, merely for getting fish scraps retailed in an im- 

 proved mechanical condition. 



