556 



Prices of Fertilisers. 



[Sept., 



fodder crop to neglect, if stock can be got to like it. English 

 experience has rejected the use of this crop in the past owing to 

 the presence of a bitter principle " cumarin," which is chiefly 

 present in the stems. The chief point in cutting or grazing this 

 crop is therefore to cut the crop before it gets too woody. If the 

 stock are turned on to this feeding stuff early in th(; spring before 

 other green stuff is available they will soon learn to relish it. 

 Owing to its erect habit of growth, sweet clover w^ould probably 

 be a suitable crop to sow with vetches as a supporting crop. 



TheIie has been a steady decline in the prices of nearly all 



fertilisers during the past few months. In no case has the drop 



^ . ^ been more marked than in that of sulphate 

 PricGS 01 



,)/ ammoma, the price of which has almost 

 Fertilisers. ^.^^^^^^^ pre-war level. For sulphate con- 

 taining 25| per cent, of ammonia (neutral quality) the price for 

 May delivery was £20 Os. 6d. per ton as compared with the pre- 

 sent price of £14 6s. For 25J per cent, ammonia (ojdinary 

 quahty) the May price was £25 2s., and for 24| per cent., 

 £24 lis. ; these prices have now dropped to £13 3s. and £12 17s. 

 respectively. A noticeable feature of the export market for 

 sulphate of ammonia is the revival of the trade with Japan, which 

 for a considerable period was practically dormant. 



While the prices for the higher grades of haste slag are prac- 

 tically at the same level as in May, the prices of the lower 

 grades, for which the demand is much smaller, have fallen 

 considerably, basic slag of the 20-22 per cent, grade being now 

 sold at 80s. per ton instead of 113s. 6d., which was the price 

 for May delivery. 



Super phosj^hate also shows a decline in price, being now sold 

 at £5 15s. per ton for 30 per cent, superphosphate as against 

 £8 5s. in June. Owing principally to the cheaper suppH.^s 

 obtainable in other countries, the export market for super- 

 phosphate has fallen off considerably, thus leaving large stocks 

 in hand to meet home requirements. 



Nit rale of soda has fallen from a May price of £19 7s. 6d. 

 per ton to £18 10s. at the present time. 



In keeping with the general fall in prices, both French and 

 German potash salts may now be obtained at almost half the 

 prices ruling last March. The prices mentioned above naturally 

 vary somewhat in different districts, and apply only to sub- 

 stantial quantities, i.e., 2 or 4 ton lots, usually free on rail. 



