Value of Artificial Manures. 
537 
It is evident then that even supposing that we shoukl be suc- 
cessful in fixing a fair price for each different ingredient of ma- 
nure, such a standard can have no permanency, but must be mo- 
dified from time to time according to variations in value of each 
substance. 
Having, then, explained the difficulties which present them- 
selves in any attempt to attach a money-value to the ingredients 
of manure, I shall now endeavour to furnish such data as will 
enable the purchaser of manure to calculate with tolerable correct- 
ness the price of any manure which may come under his notice ; 
but I repeat that in so doing he should use the utmost caution. 
I give in a Table the present price of a variety of different sub- 
stances which are either used directly in the manufacture of ma- 
nure, or are necessary for our calculation. They have been 
obligingly furnished to me by individuals whose information on 
the subject is unquestionable. 
Table I. 
£. s. 
Sulphate of Ammonia 15 0 
Muriate of Ammonia, 95 per cent 26 0 
Nitrate of Potash (crude), 85 to 90 per cent Z2l. to 40 0 
Sulphate of Potash 15 0 
Carbonate of Potash, 97 to 98 per cent 76 0 
American Potash, 75 per cent. 35 0 
Nitrate of Soda,* 95 per cent 18Z. 10s. to 19 0 
Sulphate of Soda, 95 per cent 510 
Common Salt (clean) 1 6 
Agricultural Salt 1 0 
Sulphate of Magnesia (rough), 90 per cent 5 0 
,, (pure), 97 per cent 8 10 
Sulphate of Lime (mineral gypsum) 110 
, , (precipitated) 10 
Coprolite (ground), 52 per cent, of Phosphate of Lime .. .. 3 15 
Bone Ash, 70 per cent, of Phosphate of Lime .. 5Z. 17s. 6d. to 6 0 
Animal Charcoal, 70 per cent, of Phosphate of Lime .. hi. 15s. to 6 0 
Bones (half-inch boiled) 6Z. 6s. to 6 10 
Guano (Peinivian) llL to 11 10 
From these figures we are of course able to calculate the cost 
of any substance (potash, phosphate of lime, ammonia, &c.) as 
supplied from one or another source. This calculation is per- 
fectly easy when in a compound only one ingredient is of agri- 
cultural importance, as for instance in muriate of ammonia, 
whicli is only valuable for its ammonia ; but it is attended with 
very much more difficulty when (as in nitrate of potash or bones) 
there are two or more ingredients of agricultural value. In this 
case we can only adopt the method employed by me in my early 
valuations of guano and superphosphate, of ascertaining the cost 
of gunpowder, is now very dear. Nitrate of soda, although unfit for the use of 
the maker of gunpowder, on account of its tendency to absorb moisture from the 
air, is capable of conversion into that salt. Hence the relation of price which 
they hold in the market. 
* Usually 14/. to 111. 
