94 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



and the latter will be subdivided under three heads, accord- 

 ing to the leading element furnished, viz., nitrogenous, phos- 

 phatic and potassic materials. 



PJiosphates generally called for hy Buyers. 



I have little doubt many of you, when thinking of 

 purchasing a fertilizer, still from force of habit feel inclined 

 to call for a phosphate or superphosphate. This is perhaps 

 natural, for the superphosphate was the first manufactured 

 commercial fertilizer, and for many years the only one ; and 

 this is my reason for having taken as my general head the 

 term " phosphates." Superphosphate, when first made, was 

 a definite article manufactured from bones. It supplied 

 phosphoric acid and a little nitrogen. Now the term^" phos- 

 phate " means almost anything. Little by little, as chemistry 

 shed its light upon the subject, and the wider needs of plants 

 became understood, phosphates were amended or improved 

 by the addition of now one ingredient, now another. To-day 

 a phosphate may be a material furnishing phosphoric acid 

 alone ; it may furnish either nitrogen or potash in addition, 

 or it mav furnish both these with the acid. Of course the 

 guarantee of composition enables the farmer to learn, if he 

 will, what he is buying ; l)ut I regard it as an unfortunate 

 state of affairs that a term such as ' ' phosphate " should not 

 have a more definite meaning. At present, if one desires to 

 purchase a material furnishing phosphoric acid alone in 

 available form, he must use such terms as acid phosphate, 

 plain superphosphate, dissolved bone-black, etc. 



Special J^erdlizers. 

 A special fertilizer is one claiming to furnish the nitrogen, 

 phosphoric acid and potash in the best proportions and in 

 the best coml)inations for some particular crop or a few 

 somewhat allied crops. Thus w^e have special corn fertil- 

 izers, potato fertilizers, onion fertilizers, tobacco fertilizers, 

 etc. ; and of most of these we may find a considerable num- 

 ber of brands upon the market. Most of you are aware 

 that Prof. Levi Stockbridge was the pioneer in introducing 

 this system of fertilization ; and you are equally aware that 

 he has had numerous imitators. This system undoubtedly 

 constituted a distinct advance in the the practice of feeding 



