AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 31 



(100) pounds of muriate of potash, and mixes these ingredients 

 together, he will have a complete fertilizer not essentially different 

 from many standard brands of ammoniated superphosphates. The 

 cost of the ton after mixing (if the farmer prefers to mix the 

 ingredients) will be made up as follows : 



a. Cost of materials in the markets. 



b. Cost of transportation. 



c. Cost of mixing. 



The first element entering into the total cost is the only one 

 included in the "estimated value." If there is added to this one ele- 

 ment not only the charges for transportation and mixing, but also 

 the expenses of selling through agents and dealers, long credits, 

 bad debts, etc., we have the factors involved in the cost of our ordi- 

 nary superphosphates when delivered at or near the place of con- 

 sumption. As is to be expected, the Station valuations of super- 

 phosphates fall below then- selling prices. In 1886 the average 

 difference in this State was $9.96 per ton, and in 1887 it was $8.00 

 ])er ton, excluding certain brands for which there is evidently a 

 serious overcharge. 



4. The Station valuatioHS stand in no direct or necessary rela- 

 tion to the comparative profits which may be derived from the use 

 of the various fertllizevs by individual farmers. These values have 

 an almost purely commercial significance, and are not designed to 

 point out to a farmer whether he shall use potash, which is a com- 

 paratively cheap ingredient, or nitrogen, which is comparatively 

 costly. For instance, if a farmer finds that he needs to use potash 

 he can buy it for less than five cents per pound ; but if an artificial 

 supply of nitrogen is necessary to successful crop production on his 

 soil he must pay nearly twenty cents per pound for the best forms 

 of this ingredient. The success or failure of a particular kind of 

 fertilizer in some special locality has no bearing on the cost of the 

 materials entering into its manufacture. If ordinary superphos- 

 phates are compared, however, on the basis of commercial valua- 

 tions it will generally be found to be true, that their fertilizing 

 power under conditions favoi-able to their use, is in proportion to 

 the money value. 



The following schedule of trade values used in this State for 1888 

 is the one agreed upon by the experiment Stations of Massachu 

 setts, Connecticut and New Jersey, after a careful study of prices 

 ruling in the large markets of New England and the Middle States. 



