1893 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
4i5 
According to the experiment station 
analyses and estimates, what is the profit 
of fertilizer manufacturers on their 
wares? The stations do not tell us. They 
tell us the retail prices of the valuable 
constituents of which the fertilizers are 
made up. Some of the reports—the Con¬ 
necticut Station’s for example—also favor 
their readers with the wholesale prices 
of the raw materials. But no estimate 
of the profits of the manufacturers on 
the wholesale basis appears. The ques¬ 
tion has often occurred to us : Why is 
this ? Notwithstanding the fact that the 
station valuations are based upon the 
retail price of nitrogen, potash and phos¬ 
phoric acid, the analyses show that they 
(the station valuations) average at least 
20 per cent lower than the prices asked 
for the fertilizers and paid by the con¬ 
sumers. That is, the consumers pay to 
the dealers at least a profit of 20 per 
cent over the retail prices of the raw ma¬ 
terials. Now let us select an analysis 
made by the Connecticut Station of a 
complete tobacco fertilizer put up (or 
“ manufactured,” as the word goes) by 
one of the largest firms in the country— 
an analysis that may be taken as a fair 
average of all the goods sold by the lead¬ 
ing ferti izer firms. It is as follows: 
Ammonia, 3 per cent; organic nitrogen, 
3 per cent; phosphoric acid soluble, 1.50 
per cent; reverted, 2.50 per cent; in¬ 
soluble, 1 per cent; potash as muriate, 
11 per cent. The value of the above (we 
intentionally do not give the exact fig¬ 
ures) according to the station analysis, is 
$37 per t.n. The selling price is $40. 
Here already is a profit of at least 22 {.er 
cent. But this valuation of the station 
is based upon the retail price of the pot¬ 
ash. phosphate and nitrogen. What, then, 
was the difference (taking the prices of 
1892 for our guide) between the retail 
and wholesale prices ? 
Retail. Wholesale. 
Per pound. Per pound. 
Nitrogen of nitrate of soda. 15 12 
Organic nitrogen. 1<> 14 
Ammonia. 1716 14 )4 
Potash, muriate . AH 
Phosphoric acid (available).... 6 3i4 
Estimated upon the wholesale price as 
given above, the ton of complete tobacco 
fertilizer would be worth not over $30. 
But the price to the consume r is $4(1 a 
ton. Here is a profit of 53 pir cent. 
Does the manufacturer actually make 
53 per cent profit in the sale of the above 
brand? No; from the profits are to be 
deducted the cost of grinding, mixing, 
bagging, storage and transport; also the 
commission to agents, as wel as clerk 
hire and other office expenses, the inter¬ 
est. on the money invested in the plant 
and, some may contend, bad debts. 
As at first stated, the instance we have 
mentioned is as nearly as we can get at 
it an average of the profits made by our 
best fertilizer firms on the mixed fertil¬ 
izers they sell. Other examples from the 
same report of leading firms show a profit 
of over 50 per cent as estimated upon the 
retail basis, and of 60 per cent as esti¬ 
mated on the wholesale bas s. 
If tbe fertilizer firms are obliged to 
sell their goods to farmers on time—long 
or short—they are, of course, obliged 
either to charge interest on the purchase 
sum for the time granted or to charge 
more for the fertilizers sold. That is 
right enough. If the farmer cannot pay 
cash for the fertilizer, he must go with¬ 
out or pay the dealers for the loss they 
incur in granting time. 
In all probability, however, the studi¬ 
ous, economical, progressive farmer will, 
in the near future, pay a smaller profit 
for the fertilizers he buys, and the wise 
dealer will make haste to sell for a 
smaller profit. 
“I notice what is said on page 366 in 
regard to the origin of Childs’s Horticul¬ 
tural Lima bean. I saw the previous 
article, and if I had not been so busy at 
the time I should have enlightened the 
writer in regard to the matter at once. 
The history of the Horticultural Lima as 
far as I can tell is as follows : Several 
years ago when my home was in Wash¬ 
ington County, Vermont, I attended the 
State Fair at Burlington, and there made 
the acquaintance of an exhibitor from 
near Middlebury. He had this bean and 
claimed to be the originator, and I have 
no doubt he w:>s. He lived about 10 
miles up the mountain, as I recollect, 
from Middlebury. He gave me samples 
for trial, and also gave others to a gen¬ 
tleman in the Champlain Valley for test¬ 
ing. The next season was one of almost 
perpetual rain and very cold, and all 
beans in my part of the State were a 
failure. I was impressed with the value 
of this new bean and was very sorry to 
lose it. Tn the fall I again attended the 
State Fair and found that our friend 
from near Middlebury was in as bad a 
fix as I was—the terrible season had des¬ 
troyed his stock of this and several 
other new beans. I made a visit to the 
place of the other gentleman mentioned 
and he praised the new kind very much 
and wanted me to test it again, and gave 
me a few seeds to do so. The next sea¬ 
son was much like the former one and the 
results with me were nearly the same; 
but our friend was meantime having bet¬ 
ter success in his much more favored 
locality in the Champlain Valley, and 
was growing a stock as fast as possible. 
He soon had a supply large enough for 
introduction, and sold it to J. L. Childs 
for a handsome price, I suppose. I have 
forgotten the post-office address of the 
originator, Mr. Hodges. I do not re¬ 
member his first name either. I remem¬ 
ber that he lived not far from Middle¬ 
bury in a small country town, and I think 
that he was for a time the postmaster of 
the place. I would now like to call on 
Mr. O. H. Alexander, Charlotte, Vt., to 
explain what he can tell about its origin 
and history. I also hope that '.I he R. 
N.-Y. will not in the future be so hasty 
in giving credit to its friends for tbe 
origination of varieties they never saw. 
Mr. Burbank has done enough to be 
praised by all mankind, and does not 
need the credit which belongs to an 
other.” L. H. READ. 
In a sketch of Mr. Burbank’s life and 
work published in The R N -Y. of April 
12, 1890, it will be seen that an account 
is given of a successful cross made by 
him between the Lima and the old Hor¬ 
ticultural Bole. In the absence of any 
other information regarding the origin 
of the Horticultural Lima introduced by 
Mr. Childs, it was natural enough that 
we should assume that it was the hybrid 
produced by Mr. Burbank. It was a re¬ 
markable coincidence that two such 
crosses should have been effected at the 
same time ; that the one made known 
through the press over three years ago 
should never have been introduced while 
the other should have more recently been 
introduced without credit to the origi¬ 
nator. Mr. Read was hasty in his as¬ 
sumption that The R. N.-Y. was hasty. 
Another Rugosa hybrid. Among our 
hybrid Rugosa seedlings raised two years 
ago, is a Mess with Rugosa foliage. .The 
buds have not unfolded yet (May 26) but 
they are densely covered with moss. The 
male parent was Gracilis or the Common 
Moss, we know not which. The plant is 
of vigorous habit and stood the past win¬ 
ter without a particle of injury. This is 
the first cross between Rugosa and the 
Moss in so far as we are informed. The 
Moss rose is said to be a sport of the 
Provence or Cabbage rose, Rosa centi- 
folia Provincialis. 
Some of the experiment stations have 
actually struck the very figures of our 
recipe for the Bordeaux Mixture, viz , 
one-quarter of a pound each of lime and 
copper sulphate to each gallon of water. 
This diluted Bordeaux was first suggested 
by The R. N.-Y. two or more years ago. 
The recipe is one readily remembered and, 
we fancy, it is about right as to strength. 
Our readers will k’ndly remember that 
we tried the much-talked of Freeman 
potato when it was first announced and 
that our report was : “ Shapely, fine 
quality. Yield medium with a large pro¬ 
portion of small tubers.” 
There is a variety of the Alkekengi or 
Strawberry tomato (Physalis Alkekengi) 
that bears fruit covered, when ripe, with 
a bright red bladder or inflated calyx 
These red balloons are not without value 
during the fall when flowers are passing 
away. 
A. W. Smith, of Americus, Ga., sends in 
what he calls a Velvet Bean, describing 
it as a new blossoming climber. He is 
not certain as to its botanical name ; but 
he considers it in bloom and pod as the 
most striking climber he knows, making 
a growth of from 40 to 60 feet in a season. 
The Belle Bordelaise strawberry is 
pretty enough in flower and foliage to 
entitle it to be raised as an ornamental 
plant. The widely spreading panicles of 
large white flowers are borne on tall, 
heavy stems growing six inches or more 
above the leaves, which are of a light 
green color and deeply plaited. Each 
plant throws up as many as six flower 
stalks, giving at this season (May 30) a 
mass of white bloom. The Belle Borde¬ 
laise belongs to the Hautbois (Fragraria 
elatior) family and the berries have a 
musky flavor. 
WORLD’S FAIR 
Collection of Patriotic Songs and 
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5t Famous National Airs, of the HO great 
nations. Among other countries represented are: 
America, Austria, Russia, 
England, Belgium, Portugal, 
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Germany. Scotland, Sweden, 
Holland, Ireland, Turkey, 
Italy, Spain, Finland, 
Wales, Greece, Poland. 
United States of Brazil. Argentine Republic, 
Switzerland, 
Cnlll, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, China, Japan. 
Bound with superb Illuminated Cover, bearing en¬ 
gravings Of National Flags of each country In live 
colors. Notwithstanding tbe cost of getting up this 
book, we have decided to give It an Immense sale by 
making the price only 
Sent postpaid 
m on receipt of price. 
OLIVER DIT80N COMPANY, 
453-463 Washington St., Boston. 
C. II. DITSON & CO., .1. E. IMTSON & CO., 
New York. Philadelphia. 
Our respected friend Dr. T. H. Hoskins, 
of Newport, Vt., says that the Vermont 
Beauty pear is quite hardy anywhere in 
the Champlain Valley, and southern Ver¬ 
mont or New Hampshire. It is as good 
as the Seckel, larger and much hand¬ 
somer. The flavor is quite distinct from 
that of any other pear, being a piquant 
acid, which is not very common with 
pears. This should be borne in mind by 
all who may desire to plant pear trees 
next fall or spring. Dr. Hoskins’s de¬ 
scription makes the Vermont Beauty one 
of the most valuable varieties known. 
If you name Tim lUniAr, Nkw-Yorkkr to our 
advertisers, you may be pretty sure of prompt 
replies and right treatment. 
ENGINES, m s , a l w l. 
Threshing Machines. 
Best Machinery at Lowest Prices. 
A B. FARQUHAR CO., York, Pa. 
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38 Carloads to Iowa in Three Months. 
SOMETHING TO REMEMBER , 
if you’re a weak 
or ailing woman: 
—that there’s only 
one medicine so 
sure to help you 
that it can be guar¬ 
anteed. It’s Dr. 
Pierce’s Favorite 
Prescription. In 
building up over¬ 
worked, feeble, 
delicate women, or 
in any “ female 
complaint” or 
weakness, if it ever fails to benefit or 
cure, you have your money back. It’s 
an invigorating, restorative tonic, a 
soothing and strengthening nervine, and 
a safe and certain remedy for woman’s 
ills and ailments. It regulates and pro¬ 
motes all the proper functions, improves 
digestion, enriches the blood, dispels 
aches and pains, brings refreshing sleep, 
and restores health and strength. 
Nothing else can be as cheap. With 
this, you pay only for the good you get. 
averaging over ton miles of complete fence to the 
car. Through special agents this goes at once Into 
use on farms Instead of being held by dealers. Iowa 
farmers know a good thing when they see It tried. 
Their only oomplulnt—can’t get It fast enough. 
PAGE WOVEN WIRE FENCE CO., 
Adrian, Mich. 
The l’ago Wire Fence Company of Ontario, Ltd., 
Walkervllle, Ont. 
Made in 
10. 12,14. 16 
and 18 inch 
cut Most Re¬ 
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use. Easy to 
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Also Manufacturers of the lJuckeye Hose Reel and 
Lawn Sprinkler, Iron Turbine Wind Engines, Buck¬ 
eye Force Rumps and Buckeye Iron Fencing. Send 
for Illustrated Circulars to 
MAST, FOOS & CO., Springfield, O. 
A BIG FRUIT CROP REQUIRES PROPER HANDLING. 
A big crop on any one farm demands a big evaporator if evaporated. The 
small farm with a big crop demands a way to use the surplus and waste fruit. The 
U. S. Cook Stove Fruit Drier fills the 
bill. It has been thoroughly tested 
and approved. It is the latest, cheapest, 
best. A veritable little bread winner. 
Weight, 25 pounds. Metal base. Can 
be used on any kind of stove. Dimen¬ 
sions : Base, 22x16 inches ; Height, 26 
inches. Eight galvanized wire-cloth 
trays, containing 12 square feet of tray 
surface. No extra fire. Always ready 
for use. Its capacity ample for domestic 
use, up to two bushels of fresh fruit 
per day. Price of the drier alone, $7. 
Special price to our subscribers only 
$5; or, better still, together with a 
three years’ subscription, $7. This will 
pay your own subscription for three 
years from the date of expiration of 
time already paid for. New subscrip¬ 
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Shipped by freight at purchaser’s ex¬ 
pense; cost 50 cents to about $1, accord¬ 
ing to distance. THE RURAL PUB¬ 
LISHING COMPANY, Cor. Chambers 
and Pearl Streets, New York. 
