176 TwEKTY-FlEST Bl^NNIAL BePOET 



formula is offered under two names by one brancli of a 

 company. 



There are several manufacturing concerns operating- 

 on the above plan in this State. In one case one com- 

 pany operating in this way offered seventy-nine differ- 

 ent brands of complete fertilizers in 1913. 



During the year 1913 there were 434 different 

 brands of complete fertilizers registered in the State. 

 (See Bulletin 177). Of these 204 carried less than 1.65 

 lbs. of nitrogen in 100 lbs. of fertilizer (equivalent to 2 

 lbs. of "ammonia"). Most of the 204 brands were guar- 

 anteed to carry 0.82 lbs., or 0.41 lbs. of nitrogen per 100 

 lbs. of fertUezer, while the guaranty on some brands was 

 as low as 0.21 lbs. per 100 lbs. of fertilizer. One hundred 

 and twenty-nine brands were guaranteed to carry 2 per 

 cent, potash, and fifty-nine less than 2 per cent. 



Many farmers use only 100 lbs. of such fertilizer per 

 acre. Imagine, if possible, less than one pound of nitro- 

 gen applied to an acre of com, when 50 bushels of com 

 require 75 lbs. of nitrogen. 



These fertilizers containing such small percentages 

 of nitrogen and potash are essentially low grade acid 

 phosphates selling under brand names as mixed fertiliz- 

 ers. Acid phosphate is the basis of them. They usually 

 contain 8 to 10 per cent, phosphoric add and sell for 

 considerably more per ton, sometimes nearly twice as 

 much, as 16 per cent acid phosphate which contains twice 

 as much phosphoric acid. Sixteen per cent, acid phos- 

 phate should not be considered a low grade fertilizer 

 simply for the reason that it sells for a lower price per 

 ton than certain mixed fertilizers, such as those discussed 

 in the foregoing paragraphs. 



What the farmer is actually concerned with is the 

 cost per pound of plant food contained in fertilizers. The 

 manufacture of such low grade mixed fertilizers is vir- 

 tually an admission of the importance attaching to the 

 use of phosphates. If mixed fertilizers are to be used 

 only high grade mixtures should be employed; that is, 

 such as contain high percentages especially of phosphoric 

 acid and nitrogen, for the reason that the plant food 

 contained in them is cheaper than in low gradfe mixturtes. 



