166 Rerort oF THE DiREOTOR OF THE 
find that the total per cent. of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 
potash in the four is as follows: In No.1, 667 per cent.; in 
No. 2, 15.04 per cent.; in No. 3, 15.78 per cent.; and in No 4, 
18.33 per cent., an average of 16.46 per cent., leaving, as we saw 
above, $3.54 per cent. unaccounted for. But this large excess of 
comparatively, if not actually, worthless matter is necessitated 
from the fact that three fertilizing constituents, nitrogen, phos- 
phoric acid and potash, are not to be found as such in the mar- 
kets, and the manufacturers of fertilizers are forced to rely upon 
the several commercial products which contain them, also since 
these products which contain them in largest quantity command 
relatively the highest market prices, the manufacturer contents 
himself with those which will serve his purpose in preparing any 
given brand and which may be bought at relatively the lowest 
price. | 
Commercial Fertilizers Sold in New York State. 
During the last three years an effort has been made to deter- 
mine the aggregate sales of the different kinds of fertilizing 
materials annuilly sod in this State. A circular letter was 
addressed to the various manufacturers doing business in this 
State, requesting information as to the aggregate of their sales, 
and also the quality of the fertilizers sold, in order that infor. 
mation might be obtained as to the relative consumption of 
phosphoric acid, potush and nitrogen compounds. It is not 
intended, of course, to make public the details of individual 
business, but to secure such general information concerning this 
trade as would appear to be of value to both manufacturers and 
consumers of these products. 
In the main the manufacturers thus addressed have promptly 
responded to the circular asking for this information. In several 
cases no replies have been received, while in a few cases a fear 
has been expressed lest the information thus given might 
transpire. 
To allay any such fear in the future, and in order that no 
information given in this report can be manipulated in such a 
way as to enable one manufacturer to approximately estimate 
the sales of another, it is thought best not to indicate in any way 
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