16 MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



The Existing Methods of Selling Fertilizing Materials. 



This multiplicity of brands of fertilizers can but be regarded as 

 unfortunate. They all contain the same valuable ingredients of 

 plant food, and in a large percentage of the leading brands are 

 found so nearly the same quantities of nitrogen, phosphoric acid 

 and potash in the same forms, that it makes very little difference 

 wbich the farmer buys. In spite of this fact, scores of agents 

 are making special claims for the particular fertilizers which they 

 represent, on the ground that they possess qualities superior to all 

 competing goods, a claim that in most cases has not the slightest 

 foundation in fact, and originates wholly in business zeal. Such 

 a state of the fertilizer trade must certainly tend to confuse the 

 farmer, and to retard his accepting the correct standards which 

 should control the purchase of plant food. 



The real object of buying a fertilizer is to secure certain elements 

 of plant food which it contains, elements which have as definite 

 prices as sugar, flour or iron, prices which are quoted and are 

 authoritative in commercial circles. In other words a pound of 

 nitrogen or potash is sold to manufacturers for so much, just as 

 retailers buy flour or sugar at certain prices. There is no reason 

 why the consumer should not buy his nitrogen or potash in the 

 same way, and the time is undoubtedly coming when this will be 

 done. Now trade names are made much of, but with a more 

 rational method, trade names will disappear, and nitrogenous, or 

 phosphatic or potash material will be sold as such and will be rated 

 according to what it contains. Then the farmer will tell his 

 neighbor that he has purchased so many pounds of nitrogen, 

 phosphoric acid and potash, instead of so many pounds of 

 "Blank Bros'. Lightening Crop Lifter." 



An Important Consideration. 



For the first time the tables showing the results of the station 

 inspection give the market cost of the valuable ingredients sepa- 

 rately as well as the total valuation. By consulting these figures 

 it is possible for the farmer to determine whether in buying a par- 

 ticular fertilizer he is paying most for nitrogen or for some other 

 ingredient. To illustrate this point the case of two brands of 

 Quinnipiac goods may be taken, the Crass Fertilizer. and the Seed- 

 ing Down Manure. With the former the nitrogen represents 

 thirty-seven (37) per cent, of the total cost, while with the latter 

 it represents only fifteen (15) per cent. A study of the tables 

 shows that in general the cost of those fertilizers receiving a high 

 valuation comes more largely from nitrogen than is the case with 

 the brands valued lower. It is very easy to force the valuation 

 of a fertilizer to a high point by the use of a nitrogenous material, 

 as the element nitrogen bears a comparatively high market price. 



