1876.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
<451 
Table 35. 
Materials removed from the 
Soil by various Crops. 
1 Sulphuric- 
Acid. 
| PS . 
gs 
Ph 
| 
1 
Potash. 
O . 
W fc 
H H 
2 ® 
TOBACCO. 
Ibs. 
Ibs. 
as. 
as. 
as. 
as. 
Leaves, 1,800 lbs., 1,260 lbs. dry_ 
Stalks, 1,100 as. dry. 
14 
7.5 73 
17 
71 
49 
3 
15 
15 
2 
47 
33 
Total . 
17 
22.5 88 
19 
118 
82 
RYE. 
Grain, 25 bualiels=l,400 as. 
0.8 
11.8 
. 
0.7 
2.9 
7.8 
24.6 
Straw, 3,500 as. 
3.8 
7.3,12.2 
3.9 
27.3 
14.0 
Total . 
4.1 
19.1 12.9 
6.8 
35 1 
38.6 
OATS. 
Grain, 30 bushels=960 as. 
0.4 
6.0 
1.0 
1.8 
4.2 
18.4 
Straw, 2,000 a». 
2.6 
3.8 
7.2 
3.2 
17.8 
11.2 
Total . 
3.0 
9.8 
8.2 
5.0 
22.0 
29.6 
WHEAT. 
Grain, 20 bushels=l,200 as. 
0.1 
9.5 
7.2 
2 4 
6.4 
25.0 
Straw, 3000 as. 
3.3 
6.6 
8.1 
3.3 
18.9 
14.4 
Total . 
3.4 
16.1 
15.3 
5.7 
25.3 
39.4 
CORN. 
Grain, 50 bushels=2,800 as. 
0,6 
16.5 
0.8 
5 6 
10.4 
44.8 
6 talks, 6,500 as.... 
7.8 
3*1.5^26.0 
16.9 
62.4 
31.2 
Total . 
8.4 
51.0 26.8 
22.5 
72.8 
76.0 
HAY. 
Mixed Grasses, 1% tons=3,000 as. 
7.2 
12.3 
25.8 
9.9 
39.6 
46.5 
POTATOES. 
Tubers, 150 bushels=9,000 as. 
5.4 
1.44 
1.8 
3.6 
51.3 
30.6 
I know of no better way to do this than by re¬ 
ferring to the actual experience of farmers in Con¬ 
necticut. During the past year a large number of 
samples of the fertilizers sold in this State have 
been analyzed at the State Agricultural Experiment 
Station. The list includes a considerable number of 
the leading brands sold in the East and South. Taken 
as a whole, it doubtless gives a fair exhibit of the 
condition of the fertilizer market through those 
parts of the country, 6ave that it probably contains 
a much smaller proportion of low grade articles, 
while the prices average lower than in sections more 
remote from commercial centers and where no fer¬ 
tilizer Control System is in operation. The analyses 
given in the following table, are, with a few excep¬ 
tions, taken from Circular No. 4 of the Station. 
The names of the manufacturers, importers, or 
sellers of the fertilizers in this table are omitted, 
because, in the way they are here used, the com¬ 
parisons might in some cases be odious. Suffice it 
to say that they came from Baltimore, Newark, New 
York, Boston, Chicago, and various places in Con¬ 
necticut. Let us notice now, the 
Amount of Nitrogen, Phosplioric Acid and 
Potash. 
they contain. Of the superphosphates without ni¬ 
trogen, sometimes called “ Plain Superphosphates” 
or “Acid Phosphates,” No. 5 furnishes 10.27 per 
cent of soluble phosphoric acid, or 101 lbs. in 100 
lbs. of the fertilizer, while No. 53 has 231 per cent. 
The highest par centage of soluble phosphoric acid 
In the nitrogenous superphosphates is in No. 
128, viz. : 11.67 per cent; the lowest in No. 25, 
viz.: less than one-lialf of one per cent. The 
“Rectified” Peruvian Guano, No. 57, furnished 
about 10, and the “10 per cent Ammonia Stan¬ 
dard,” Nos. 108 and 137, about 5 per cent each 
of soluble phosphoric acid. The percentages of 
Nitrogen are nearly as variable as those of Phos¬ 
phoric Acid. In the Ammouiated Phosphates they 
run from 1.96 to 5.36; in the bone manures from 
2.36 to 4.03, and in the fish manures and animal 
refuse from 6.66 to 13.19 per cent, and so on. A 
still more interesting point, however, is the 
Cost of Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Pot¬ 
ash per pound. 
Among the nitrogenous superphosphates the ni¬ 
trogen costs 21 cts. per lb. in No. 117, and 42.5 
cts. per lb. in No. 120. It is furnished in the 
Rectified Peruvian Guano, No. 57, at 17.9 cts., 
and in the 10 per cent “Ammonia Standard,” No. 
137, at 19 cts. per lb., while in the Fish Scrap, 
No. 131, it goes down to 10.3 cts. per lb. So like¬ 
wise the soluble phosphoric acid runs all the way 
from 10.7 cts. per lb. in the Rectified Guano up to 
25.5 cts. per lb. in No. 120. 
Advertised Composition and actual 
Analyses. 
I believe that nearly all of the larger mauufac- 
turers and importers of fertilizers sold in Connec¬ 
ticut, intend that the published analyses of their 
wares shall fairly represent their composition. But 
there are some, generally less substantial firms, 
whose dealings are not so straightforward. I have 
on my table a pamphlet which accompanied the 
“Ammoniated Dissolved Bone,” No. 120. It 
gives a number of certificates of the good quality 
of the article, and an analysis which is stated to 
have been “ adopted as the standard of this valua¬ 
ble compound.” It compares with the actual 
analysis of our sample as follows : 
Represented in 
Advertisement. 
Found by 
Analyses. 
Soluble Phosphoric Acid. 
.8.27 
2.64 
Reverted do. do. . 
.. 
2.30 
Insoluble do. do. . 
.3.83 
0.44 
Total do. do. . 
.12.10 
5.38 
Nitrogen. 
.2.15 
2.09 
Its actual value was, 
therefore, a little 
over half 
what it was represented to be. 
The figures for bone manures are well worth 
studying. Pure bone generally contains from 20 to 
25 per cent of phosphoric acid, and 31 to 4 per cent 
of nitrogen. Several in the table fall considerably 
below this standard, Nos. 96, 97, 98, and 129 vary¬ 
ing in content of phosphoric acid from 10.70 to 
14.62 per cent. These latter samples contained con- 
siderable 6alt-cake (an impure sulphate of soda.) 
Inferior Ferl ilizers. 
No. 19 was a sample of a material which has 
formerly been used in considerable quantities in 
this region and elsewhere. It contained over 63 
per cent, or 1,261 lbs. to the ton v of fragments of 
brick and coal, and other equally worthless mate¬ 
rials. A ton would furnish about as much of the 
valuable ingredients as 300 lbs. of good Peruvian 
Guano. No. 8 is a fraudulent article, called the 
“American Bone Fertilizer,” of which another 
sample was referred to in one of the previous arti¬ 
cles. No. 22 was represented to be a first class 
superphosphate. Some farmers to whom it was 
offered at $48.00 per ton brought a sample to our 
Station for analysis before purchasing. It proved 
to be worth less than one-third the price. 
Food for Study .-—General Conclusions- 
In presenting the above I have had in mind a 
number of farmers, some of them personal ac¬ 
quaintances, others, strangers whom I know only 
by their letters of inquiry, but all of whom have 
asked questions about the subjects treated upon 
here. I think a careful study of the facts and fig¬ 
ures given will supply to the reader a means of 
judging of the value of a fertilizer from analyses. 
In laying out his plans for next season, he has first 
to decide whether he will buy guano, or fish, or 
bone, or superphosphates, and at what cost he 
ought to get enough to furnish the ingredients he 
wishes to supply to his soil. He can then find what 
articles are obtainable, and at what prices, compare 
the analyses of the fertilizers offered him with 
those above, and judge which is best and cheapest. 
In brief there are two very important principles 
which should be observed by farmers in the se¬ 
lection of commercial fertilizers. They should 
1st, Purchase only those of which the composition 
is definitely stated and guaranteed by the seller. 
2nd, Of these, select the ones which furnish the 
materials needed by their soils and crops, in the 
best form and at the lowest cost per lb. 
I know that here, as elsewhere, it is easier to 
preach than to practice. One great difficulty is in 
getting reliable analyses. In Connecticut farmers 
Table 36. 
ANALYSES AND COSTS OF VALUABLE INGREDIENTS OF COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS. 
ANALYSES. 
NAME OF FERTILIZES. 
PHOSPHATIC FERTILIZERS. 
WITHOUT NITROGEN. 
Superphosphate. 
Superphosphate. 
WITH NITROGEN. 
Bone Manures. 
Ground Bone. 
Ground Bone. 
Ground Bone. 
Bone Flour. 
Bone Meal.. 
Celebrated Ground Bone. 
Raw Ground Bone. 
Fine Bone. 
Ground Bone. 
Nitrogenous Phosphates and Super¬ 
phosphates. 
Ammoniated Superphosphate.. 
Superphosphate. 
Steamed Bone “ Dissolved ”. 
Soluble Nitrogenous Phosphate. 
Ammoniated Superphosphate. 
Ammoniated Dissolved Bone. 
Abattoir Guano. 
Ammoniated Bone Phosphate of Lime 
Superphosphate. 
Ammoniated Bone Superphosphate... 
NITROGENOUS FERTILIZERS. 
WITH CONSIDERABLE PHOSPHORIC ACID 
No. 1 Peruvian Guanos. 
Rectified....;. 
10 per cent Ammonia Standard. 
10 per cent Ammonia Standard,. 
WITH LITTLE OR NO PHOSPHORIC ACID. 
Fish Manures. 
Fish Guano. 
Dry Ground Fish Guano. 
Fish Scrap. 
Fish Scrap. 
Animal Refuse. 
Animal Dust. 
Azotinl. 
Dried Blood, Meat Scrap, and Bone_ 
Dried Blood. 
Miscellaneous. 
Castor Pomace. 
Sulphate of Ammonia. 
Nitrate of Soda. 
j Station Number. 
| Moisture. 
0 
■e 
Si 
e 
CQ 
Per 
Per 
cent. 
cent. 
5 
17.39 
6.12 
53 
8.55 
43 
5.69 
2.81 
58 11.88 
*14 
7.0C 
98.16.05 
97 18.45 
9817.09 . 
Phosphoric Acid. 
Avail¬ 
able. 
Per 
cent. 
10.27 
23.28 
106 
1-1 
129 , 14.71 
8.78 5.56 
8.23 . 
3.74, 
INFERIOR FERTILIZERS. 
“ Bone Fertilizer ”. 
Poudrette. 
“Ammoniated Bone’’... 
GERMAN POTASH SALTS. 
Leopoldshall Kainit. 
Chloride of Potassium. 
Sulphate of Potash. 
11 19.37 2.60 
15 21.75 3.60 
25 8.71 .| 
101 19.27. 
117 19.16 1.25 
120 16.83, 5.83 
127 17.611. 
128 21.01 .; 
133 19.70 2!62 
139 19.31; 2.27 
9.91 
9.94 
0.43 
7.24 
10.22 
2.64 
8.91 
11.67 
5.84 
1.70 
57 12.6L 1.80 10.67 
108 21.57 . 5.12 
137 13.06 . 5.27 
28 21.96 
100 14.64 
103 40.95 
13125 . 10 
29 '4.45 
49 12.56 
102 12.26 
119 .. 
35 
3 
6.83 
2.42 
0.26 
8 13.07 41.461 
19 4.20 63.07 . 
22 29.07 9.20 2.24 
21 
33 
« . 
s a 
> w 
w 
W 
Pi¬ 
ce't 
0.16 
2 . 
2.30 
1.69 
0.92 
1.19 
8.60 
82 
6.24 
Per 
cent. 
3.50 
8.67 
Per 
cent. 
13.77 
31.95 
23.55 
19.79 
23.61 
14.62 
14.25 
10.70 
15.26 
26.72 
12.98 
Per 
cent 
10.87 
14.04 
12.77 
7.71 
14.68 
5.39 
0.80 
4.10 
12.34 
0.46 
1.66 
0.4*1 
1.23 111.83; 3.99 
0.20 12.79 
1.04 8.07 
3.22 13.53 
1.71 
2.86 
4.01 
5.80 
1.90 
12 . 
17 
15.52 
8.66 
6.67 
6.23 
7.49 
6.06 
6.92 
5.20 
2.11 
2.80 
2.22 
4.14 
2.43 
3.24 
4.36 
13.97 
50.56 
44.00 
e . 
Pi 
w 
grea 
! Nitrogen. 
1 
Ammonia egui 
lent to Nitrogei 
p-i 
« 
o 
K 
PH 
hi 
◄ 
H 
W 
« 
it 
« 
0 
O 
Pi 
H 
Per 
Per 
cent. 
cent. 
$ cts 
cts. 
33.00 
61.00 
3.15 
3.82 42.00 
20.6 
4.03 
4.89 38.00 
19. 
3.88 
4.71 .33.0C 
15.0 
2.36 
2.86 35.00 26.0 
2.37 
2.87 
30.00 
22.0 
3.43 
4.16 
31 .(HI 
23 3 
3.90 
4.73 
47.5(1 
28.0 
3.40 
4 12 
45.00 
19.7 
2.84 
3.44 
38.00 
28.1 
2.75 
3.38 
48.00 
26.8 
1.67 
1.96 
42.50 
23.8 
4.25 
5.15 
48.00 
32,2 
4.41 
5.36 40.00 
22.7 
2.54 
3.08 
42.00 
21 . 
2.09 
2.53 
40.00 
42.5 
3.39 
4.11 
50.00 
22.7 
2.24 
2.71 
40.1*1 
21.0 
2.39 
2.90 
40.00 
30.0 
2.39 
3.62 
50.00 
30.4 
9.15 
11.10 
60.00 
17.9 
8.56 
10.39 
60.00 
17.4 
7.76 
9.42 
60.00 
19.0 
6.07 
7.37 
40.00 
24 5 
7.50 
9.11 
45.00 
24.6 
5.33 
6.47 
16.00 
11.1 
5.49 
6.66 
16.00 
10.3 
7.32 
8.89 
50.00 
28.2 
7.33 
8.89 
50.00 
2.7.7 
8.08 
10.87 
9.80 
13. 9 
40.00 
21.6 
4.80 
5.83 
25.00 
23.5 
20.53 
24.92 
97.50 
23.7 
15.65 
19.00 
8 U.00 
25.6 
1.03 
1.24 
55.00 
158.8 
1.41 
1.71 
25.00 
64.4 
1.28 
1.55 
48.00 
77.9 
so.no 
10.00 
70.00 
I Cost of one pou 
each of valuable 
stated. 
Phosph’rio 
Acid. 
14.1 
11.5 
16.0 
14.8 
19.3 
13.6 
12.5 
25.5 
13.6 
12.5 
18.0 
18.2 
16.9 
A W 
M * I • rn 
w y 
M 
cts. 
10.7 
.4 
17.0 
9.1 
8.3 
12.0 
12.1 
46.7 
5.7 
... 38.1 
... 15.4 
... 18.7 
7.3 
5.7 
5.6 
6.1 
10.8 
5 9 
8.0 
Note.— The names of the articles above are those by which they were bom. The numbers opposite each are those given 
to the samples when received for analysis, and by which they are known at the Station. The prices of the numbered samples 
are those actually paid by purchasers at the places were they were bought, either in Connecticut or outside markets. 
Blanks indicate, that the ingredients were either lacking or not sufficient in amount or value to be worthy o f account. 
For explanations of the analyses, ways the costs of the ingredients are calculated, etc., see article No. XVI, (April No.) 
