AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
139 
Table of Analyses and Computed Values of Various Fertilizers. 
1 
MANURES EXAMINED. j 
|l| 
J Nitrogen. || 
Phosphoric Acid, 
in Water, 
Soluble. |lns’l’ble 
Sulphuric 1 
Acid. 
Insoluble 1 
Silicates. 
1 [Sand.] 
Selling 
price per 
Calculat¬ 
ed value 
per ton. 
A—Lawes’ Superphosphate, [English] .1 30.781.. 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.1.1.. 
$1.72 1 $0.20 | $0 
89 
29 
4.461.| $44.20 
B—Rhodes’ Superphosphate.| 46.18 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.1. 
11.11 1 4.02 | 30 
$1.39 | $0.18 1 $0 
61 2.261 $45.001 $37.60 
ll.1.1 . 
C—Berger & Butts’ Superphosphate..| 19.75 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs..I. 
4.13 
$0.52 
10.58 1 
$0.48 | 
11 
$0 
731 12.89 
2|. 
$45.00j$22.40 
D—Baugh & Son’s Raw-bone Phosphate.| 33.65 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.|. 
$ 
.17 
.05 
10.52 
$0.47 
18 
$0 
8 
8 
8.53 
$45.00j $23.80 
E Baugh & Son’s Ground Raw-bone.1 40.55 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.1. 
$< 
49 
76 
23.14 
$1.04 
$0 
96 
01 
.08 
$35.00|$36.20 
F—Tasker & Clark’s Phosphoric Fertilizer.1 40.13 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.1. 
$ 
76 
47 
1.76 
$0.22 
11.52 
$0.52 
6 
$0 
64 
06 
8.65 
$40.00 
$25.40 
G—Tasker & Clark’s Meat and Bone Compost. .1 47.49 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.I. 
$ 
23 
21 
9.43 
$0.42 
44 
14.11 
$25.09 
$12.60 
H—Mapes’ Nitrogenized Superphosphate.1 25.31 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.1. 
$< 
35 
23 
.11 
$0.01 
9.10 
$0.40 
$0 
8 
09 
25.16|$50.00|$14.60 
I—Lodi Company’s Poudrette....1 41.59 
$< 
38 
23 
6.80 
$0.27 
6 
6 
07 
28.66 
1 $2,001 
Ipr.bbll 
$11.40 
J— Rogers & Gest’s Ammoniacal Superphosphates.1 94.711 1 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.1.I $ 
96 
22 
1 57 
1 $0 
341 .34 
571. 
$45.00|$75.80 
K-Lawes’ Sulphate of Ammonia, [English].1 99.121 2 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.1.1 $ 
30 
60 
$0 
421. 
60|. 
$80.80 
64.251 1 
.1 $ 
98 
25 
13.16 
$0.59 
1.78 
$60.00 
$56.80 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs. 
M—Government Peruvian Guano, [Philadelphia].1 43.75 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.1..... 
$ 
50 
12.98 
$0.58 
2 
$0 
461 18.34 
021. 
$60.00 
$37.60 
N—Pacific Ocean Guano.1 23.31 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs.1. 
$ 
75 
49 
9.26 
$0.40 
36 
$0 
211 .42 
371. 
$50.00 
$45.20 
O New Fertilizer... 
17.20 .. 
. 1 2.43 
. 1 $0.11 
6 
$0 
001 58.65 
6|. 
$3.40 
Value of Constituents in 100 lbs. 
soluble phosphoric acid, which at 12% cents per 
pound=$1.72; 4.48 pounds insoluble phosphoric 
acid, at 4% cents=20 cents, and 29 pounds of sul¬ 
phuric acid at 1 cent per pound=29 cents; in 
all $2.21 per 100 pounds, or $44.20 per tun as 
given in the last column. To learn the value of a 
barrel of Lodi poudrette, weigh a barrel and 
multiply the weight by.57, and it will give the 
value in cents; when a barrel weighs 263 pounds it 
will be worth about 150 cents. 
It will be seen at a glance at the 3d column, that on¬ 
ly three manures analyzed are superphosphates; and 
the quantity of soluble phosphoric acid in Berger & 
Butts’ is so small, that we can consider hut 2 of them 
as genuine superphosphates. Tasker & Clark’s ferti¬ 
lizer gives evidence of an attempt to make a super¬ 
phosphate. The results in this column were ob¬ 
tained by boiling each sample in water 10 or 15 min¬ 
utes. In the 4th column we have the amount of 
phosphoric acid existing in the form of raw or burnt 
bones. By the 2d column we may judge of the re¬ 
spective claims of the manures to the appellations 
“ ammoniated,” “ nitrogenized,” etc. Baugh & 
Son’s manures, made from raw bones, show the su¬ 
perior value of this material over burned bones. 
In the one, 54 cents worth, and in the other, 76 
cents worth of nitrogen to the 100 pounds are found, 
which would not have been present had burned 
bones been used in the manufacture. 
The analysis of sample H, shows that a manure 
may be named and sold at a high price as an “ Am¬ 
moniated Superphosphate” -without having more 
than the most insignificant quantity of either am¬ 
monia or superphosphate in it. Such a name ap¬ 
plied to such a manure expresses a dangerous false¬ 
hood. J, shows a large amount of nitrogen, but the 
manure contains no phosphoric acid; the name 
therefore is false, but the manure is good. J, and 
K, are both sulphates of ammonia and as ammoni- 
aeal manures are the mostvaluablein the list. The 
two guanos are seen to vary greatly in value. 
In the 5th column the amounts of sulphuric acid 
are given. This comes from that used in making 
the superphosphates, from that constituting a part 
of sulphate of ammonia, or sulphate of potash, or 
from adulterations of gypsum (sulphate of lime) or 
sulphate of soda. In the 6th column we have sand, 
or earthy matter insoluble in water or acids, and 
worthless. The last two columns enable us to com¬ 
pare the calculated values with the selling prices. C, 
D, F, G & H, are sold for about double their values. 
B, is the cheapest American superphosphate; but it 
is sold at $7.40 per ton above its calculated value. The 
most flagrant imposition of all of them is Mapes’ 
so-called “Ammoniated Superphosphate.” It is 
sold for nearly three times as much as it is worth. 
The manufacture and sale of such a manure deserves 
the severest censure, as implying either gross igno¬ 
rance or dishonesty. No wonder that, with such a 
mixture in the market, farmers are often disgusted 
with the use of artificial manures. 
We find Rogers & Gest’s “Ammoniacal Super¬ 
phosphate ” (sulphate of ammonia) by far the cheap¬ 
est source of Nitrogen; Rhodes’ superphosphate 
the cheapest source of soluble phosphate, and 
Baugh & Son’s ground raw bones the cheapest source 
of bone phosphate. 
The attention of farmers and dealers is seriously 
asked to the consideration of the above facts. To 
protect themselves, they should demand that man¬ 
ufacturers guarantee their manures to contain a 
definite amount of those elements of fertility upon which 
their value is dependent. The evidence which a true 
analysis gives, is worth volumes of recommenda¬ 
tions from those who have “ tried the manure.” 
* Let it be understood that these prices are those 
established or adopted by most agricultural chemists, and 
if their estimate of the manurial value of the several ele¬ 
ments be right, these calculations are correct. On this 
point we are not so well satisfied as are some. We still 
doubt as to the estimated value of phosphoric acid, 
whether “ soluble” or “ insoluble.” That this element is 
valuable as a fixer of ammonia, with which it combines 
readily, is undoubtedly true : and the same, in a less de¬ 
gree, may be said of sulphuric acid. The essentiality 
of phosphoric acid as a constituent in plants, and the 
degree to which it may be needed in any soil as a specific 
manure, is another question. We have great faith in am¬ 
monia and ammoniacal manures; and for our own use 
would buy only those largely abounding in this element,un- 
less they contained sulphuric and phosphoric acid enough 
to fix ammonia from the air in large quantities.—O. J. 
t Johnson on Manures, 8 vo., sent by mail for 75 cts. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Annual Cost of Keeping a Horse. 
Few farmers keep accurate accounts, or have 
any idea of the expense. Those who make a 
business of carting and have to purchase all 
their food, have the means of exact knowledge 
in their hands. Experiments conducted on a 
large scale, give the most satisfactoiy results, as 
they give a fairer average for single horses. 
The Eighth Avenue Railroad Company in 
this City keep about six hundred horses, weigh¬ 
ing on an average eleven hundred and fifty 
pounds, and consuming daily ten pounds of hay 
and eighteen pounds of grain—a mixture of com 
and oats, ground. With hay at a cent a pound, 
and the mixed meal at the same price, the daily 
cost of each horse would be twenty-eight cents, 
making $1.96 per week—equal to $102.20 a 
year. The price of hay varies from 1 to 1 
cent a pound in this City, rarely getting above 
the latter quotation. The price of corn and 
oats is as often above as below 1 cent a pound. 
The Third Avenue Railroad Company keep 
eight hundred and eighty horses, of the average 
weight of eleven hundred pounds, which each 
consume nine pounds of hay, and seventeen 
pounds of grain. This would make the cost of 
keeping twenty six cents a day, or $94 a year. 
The Sixth Avenue Railroad Company keep 
five hundred and thirty horses, of the average 
weight of one thousand pounds, which average 
about six and a half pounds of hay, and fifteen 
and a half pounds of grain. This would be 
twenty two cents a day, or $80.30 a year. 
The horses on these roads travel from eigh¬ 
teen to twenty miles a day, and keep in good 
condition on this fare. It would seem from 
these figures that it costs twenty two dollars 
more a year to keep a horse weighing eleven 
hundred and fifty pounds than one weighing a 
thousand. Of course a farmer who wants a horse 
only for the road, and for light loads, should 
keep a light animal. For many kinds of busi¬ 
ness, a horse weighing nine hundred pounds is 
just as good as one weighing twelve hundred, 
and the extra three hundred pounds will cost 
not far from forty dollars extra. In those parts 
of the country where hay and meal are cheaper 
than here, horse keeping will of course be less. 
For the cost of keeping in the country we 
know one gentleman owning a span weighing 
1,000 pounds each, who estimates the weekly 
cost at three dollars. Another, with horses weigh¬ 
ing 1,100 pounds, estimates the cost at three dol¬ 
lars forty cents per week. Another with a pair 
weighing 1,250 pounds each, at the same weekly 
cost. Another, with horses weighing 1,000 
pounds each, estimates the cost of keeping at 
three dollars forty six cents a week. This last 
would be twenty four cents and a fraction a day, 
a medium between the extreme cases in this 
City. These cases are taken from Eastern Mas¬ 
sachusetts where hay and grain are rather high¬ 
er than with us. The estimates are for horses 
worked every day at severe labor. Where 
horses stand in the stable and are worked but a 
part of the time, or where they run in the pas¬ 
ture in Summer, the expense will be considera¬ 
bly less. We think it will be found in actually 
experimenting, that the expense of keeping a 
horse varies from one to three dollars a week. 
In all the cases quoted, the food was given by 
measure, and the fact that the horse kept in 
good condition, was proof that he had enough. 
Where a horse has all he will eat, as is often the 
case, he will consume much more than is neces¬ 
sary to keep him in good flesh. You may safely 
add a third to the expense of keeping, where a 
horse is fed in this way. In the omnibus busi¬ 
ness the average life of a horse is three and a 
half years; on the railroads it is four years. In 
the country the average term of service must 
be at least three times as long. Horses are fre¬ 
quently found twenty years old, and in rare 
cases thirty years and upward. This short term 
of life in the City has to be added to the ex¬ 
pense of keeping a horse; the longer term in the 
country makes it cheaper there. One hundred 
and fifty dollars invested in a horse here, is sunk 
in four years. There it lasts twelve. Equrrs. 
[We acknowledge the receipt of several re¬ 
ports on the cost of keeping horses, giving facts 
and figures; which will be soon published.] 
