Fertilizers 15 



Again the percentage of cost above state values is as fol- 

 lows, practically : 



Low grade 45 per cent 



Medium grade 20 per cent 



High grade 11 per cent 



I have urged in previous reports the economy of the high- 

 grade materials, and again call attention to the poor 

 economy of buying fertilizer by the ton 'because it is 

 cheap,' when in fact the ' cheap ' fertilizers are the more 

 expensive in first cost, and more costly to handle (value 

 considered) than the higher grade, concentrated goods." 



Analyses of commercial fertilizers everywhere show that 

 in many cases the higher grade fertilizer is the cheaper to 

 buy, the higher price for a ton only meaning that there is 

 less worthless material in it. Some vegetable-growers 

 prefer to calculate the value of their mixed fertilizers by 

 the price for a pound of the three plant-food ingredients. 

 The State Chemist of Florida gives the following values 

 for 1909 : 



Ammonia ICffi a pound 



Available phosphoric acid 5 (^ a pound 



Potash 5J^ a pound 



Taking a formula recommended for vegetables in 

 Florida, 3^ per cent ammonia, 7^ per cent potash, 6| per 

 cent available phosphoric acid, let us calculate the value a 

 ton. Here 3§ per cent is 70 pounds of ammonia, costing 

 $11.55 ; 7i per cent is 150 pounds of potash, costing $8.25 ; 

 6J per cent is 130 pounds of phosphoric acid, costing $6.50. 

 Therefore, a ton would contain 350 pounds of plant-food, 

 and would be worth, mixed and bagged, $27.80. 



