New York AGRICULTURAL ExPpERIMENT STATION. 191 
being given, it is only necessary to multiply the per cent of each 
constituent found present by twenty to learn the number of 
pounds of such constituent present in a ton (2,000 pounds) of the 
fertilizer, and then to multiply by the prices per pound and add 
the results together to obtain what may be called the net valua- 
tion per ton of such fertilizer. 
Two illustrations have been presented in estimating the value 
of the average commercial fertilizers sold in the spring and in the 
fall. 
But to this net valuation should be added a sum sufficient to 
defray cost of manufacture of bags or barrels, of freight to con- 
sumer, and a reasonable profit, in order to determine what would 
be a fair price for such fertilizer when delivered to the purchaser 
and consumer. ‘ 
The above appears to be a very simple matter but in practice 
is very difficult to accomplish in a way to do equal justice to 
manufacturers and consumers, and for the following reasons: 
The costs of manufacture and for freight differ greatly, although 
there appears no good reason why the farmer should pay for the 
differences which may arise in these ways between the cost of 
two brands of fertilizers equal in other respects. The main trouble 
arises from ignorance generally as to the exact form in which the 
several constituents are present in a certain fertilizer, e. ¢., 
whether the nitrogen present is in the form of nitrates, ammonia 
salts, fish, pomace, horn, leather, hair, or in any other of the 
many forms in which this element is found in combination. 
There can be no question tnat the chemist is able to fix a per- 
fectly fair valuation upon the nitrogen in either of the above or 
in other forms, since he has access to the current market quota- 
tions for these as for other products, but it is often difficult, if not 
now and then impossible, at the present, for him to determine 
the forms in which this element is present in the product under 
analysis. | 
While, therefore, it is easy upon analysis of any given fertilizer 
_ to calculate the minimum valuation commercially of the constitu- 
ents present, such valuation would, in the great majority of cases, 
be obviously unfair to the manufacturer, but it is equally obvious 
that the manufacturer has it in his power to secure full justice to 
himself in this matter of valuation if he will, and in the following 
