MARKET FOR COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS. 107 



England, it is not in New York, it is not where the best farming 

 is done in the United States ; it is where the poorest farming 

 has been done, whatever may be the case now. On the con- 

 trary, in Europe, the market for commercial fertilizers is where 

 the best farming is done. The best farmer is the one who can 

 best afford to pay for commercial fertilizers, and he is really the 

 only one who ought to buy ammonia, because the ammonia 

 ought not to be used except where there is an abundance of 

 phosphates, alkalies, and the ashy ingredients of bones ; and 

 that state of things rarely exists upon any but good farms, or 

 virgin soils ; and, consequently, I infer that the time is coming 

 when a very great and constantly increasing market for these 

 things will be found in New England and New York among the 

 very best farmers. The fact that our home sources of supply 

 are not yet exhausted, that the prices seem high, and farmers 

 are cautious, is the only reason why there are not more fertil- 

 izers employed, I presume. 



With this imperfect introduction of the subject of commercial 

 fertilizers, I will leave it with the audience. 



The Chairman. Gentlemen, the question of the value of 

 commercial fertilizers having been opened by Col. Weld, is now 

 before you for general discussion. It is a subject of very great 

 importance to every cultivator of the soil, and I see before me 

 an unusually large number of gentlemen skilled in agricultural 

 science. I hope the time that remains to us of the morning 

 will be fully occupied. I will call upon Col. Clark to favor us 

 with any suggestions he may have. 



President Clark. I am one of those who believe in commer- 

 cial fertilizers, and that, as Col. Weld has said, the best farming 

 demands commercial fertilizers. I believe that commercial fer- 

 tilizers pay best where there is the most intelligence. I am also 

 one of those who believe that there is an immense amount of 

 wealth in the earth and in the ocean stored up, and not yet 

 much distributed, for the benefit of man, when this earth shall 

 be properly cultivated, when farmers have education, and when 

 they begin to work intelligently, and use the resources of the 

 land, the sea and the air in the best manner. I have, therefore, 

 a great deal of faith in the education of farmers, because I know 

 that, if knowledge is valuable anywhere, it is in so complicated 



