They also correspond, as has been stated, to the average wholesale 

 prices for the six months ending March 1st, plus 20 per cent, in case 

 of goods for which we have wholesale quotations. Tiie calculated 

 values obtained by tlie use of the above figures, will be found to 

 agree fairly with the reasonable retail price in case of standard raw 

 materials sncLas : 



Sulphate of Ammonia, Azotin, 



Nitrate of Soda, Dry Ground Fish, 



Muriate of Potash, Cotton Seed, 



Sulphate of Potash, Castor Pomace, 



Dried Blood, Bone, 



Plain Superphosphates. 



TRADE VALUES IN SUPERPHOSPHATES, SPECIAL 

 MANURES AND MIXED FERTILIZERS OF 

 HIGH GRADE. 



The organic nitrogen in these classes of goods will be reckoned at 

 the highest figure laid down in the Trade Values of Fertilizing Ingre- 

 dients in Raw Matei'ials, namely eighteen cents per pound. 



Insoluble phosphoric acid will be reckoned at four cents, the cost 

 of phosphoric acid in coarse bones. Potash at four and one-quarter 

 cents, if sufficient chlorine is present in the fertilizer to combine with 

 it. If there is more potash present than will combine with chlorine, 

 then this excess of potash will be reckoned as sulphates. To intro- 

 duce large quantities of chlorides, common salt, etc., into fertilizer, 

 claiming sulphate of potash as a constituent, is a pi'actice, which 

 in our present state of information will be considered of doubtful 

 merits. 



The use of the highest trade values is but justice to these articles 

 in which the costliest materials are expected to be used. In most 

 cases the calculated value of ammoniated superphosphates and" spec- 

 ials will fall considerably below the retail price. The difference 

 between the two, will represent the manufacturer's charges for con- 

 verting raw materials into more or less compounded manufactured 

 articles. These charges include grinding and mixing, bagging or 

 barreling, storage and transportation, commission to agents or deal- 

 ers, long credit, interest on investment, bad debts, and finally profits. 



The prices stated in these bulletins in connection with analyses of 

 commercial fertilizers refer to their cost per ton of 2,000 pounds, on 

 board of car or boat near the factory, or place for general distribution. 



The mechanical condition of any fertilizing material, simple or 

 compound, deserves the most serious consideration of farmers, when 

 articles of a similar chemical character are offered for their choice. 

 The degree of pulverization controls, almost without exception, under 

 similar conditions, the rate of solubility, and the more or less rapid 

 diflTusion of the different articles of plant-food throughout the soil. 



The state of moisture exerts a no less important influence on the 

 pecuniary value, in case of one and the same kind of substance. 



