The market value of low priced materials used for manurial pur- 

 poses, as salt, ashes, A-arious kinds of lime, barnyard manure, factory 

 refuse and waste materials of different description, does, quite fre- 

 quently, not stand in a close relation to their chemical composition. 

 Their cost varies in different localities. Local facilities for cheap 

 transportation and more or less advantageous mechanical condition 

 for a speedy action, exert, as a rule, a decided influence on their 

 selling-price. 



The wholesale market price of manurial substances is liable to 

 serious fluctatious ; for supply and demand exert here, as well as in 

 other branches of commercial industry, a controlling influence on theii- 

 temporary money value. As fai'mers have only in exceptional in- 

 stances, a desirable chance to inform themselves regarding the con- 

 ditions which control the market price, the assistance rendered in 

 this direction, by Agricultural chemists charged with the examination 

 of commercial fertilizers, cannot otherwise but benefit, ultimately 

 both farmers and manufacturers. 



The market reports of centres of trade in New England, New 

 York and New Jersey, aside from consultations with leading manu- 

 facturers of fertilizers furnish us the necessary information regard- 

 ing the current trade value of fertilizing ingredients. The subse- 

 quent statement of cash-values in the retail trade is obtained by tak- 

 ing the average of the wholesale quotations in New York and Boston, 

 during the six months preceding March 1, 1886, and increasing them 

 by 20 per cent., to coyer expenses for sales, credits, etc. 



These trade values, except those for phosphoric acid, soluble in 

 ammonium-citrate, were agreed upon by the Experiment Stations of 

 Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey for use in their several 

 states for the present season. 



TRADE VALUES QF FERTILIZING INGREDIENTS IN 

 , RAW MATERIALS AND CHEMICALS. 



Cents per Pound. 

 1886. 



Nitrogen in Ammonia salts, 18i 



" " Nitrates, 18| 



" " Dried and fine ground fish, 17 



Organic nitrogen in guano and fine ground blood and meat, 17 

 Organic nitrogen in cotton seed, linseed meal, and in castor 



pomace, 17 



