The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-01-11
fFrom the Maryland Farmer.
The Guano and Fertilizer Trade. Its character
and Importance. How 1t should be conducted.

:ume there is no trade less understood oy those
interested as purchasers, than the trade IN fertl
lzers. Farmers generally do not give attention to
the composition Of the fertilizers they buy, or con-
slider what constitutes their value. That they
should do so, is manifest upon the least reflection.
All articles Of merchandise may be divided into
two general classes. The first class embraces all
those articles Of trade, the value OF which can be
determined by observation and handling. AS
all men are possessed alike Of the faculty OF
sight ard the other senses, the ability OF all 70
Judge of the value of merchandise of this class ID
varied only By experience or practice. All men,
for example. having experience, can Judge OF the
quality OF grain, professions, groceries dry goods
&C., and are hence competent to protect them
epvps in their purchase Of merchandise OF this
kind.
lue second class of merchandise referred to,
embraces all articles of trade and commerce IN
which the value is hidden, and consequently, IN
the nature OF things, cannot be judged OF or de-
termined by the evidace of the senses. Their
value cannot be seer, tasted or felt, hence no man
can judge of their quality as IN the case OF mer.
cha..dise of the first class named.
Fertilizers metallic ores, such as "copper" tead, &C,
belong to this seecond class OF articles OF trade and
commerce, and their value can be determined onty
by men whose especial education enables them to
discover the proportion OF ratae oy s1specs.o".
is a we'll known fact that one copper ore ls worth
more money per ton than another, because 1t con-
tains larger per cent of copper. IL ie the guam.
tity of copper contained in the ore which consti-
tutes the actual value. Now that cannot be
determined by observation or handling, hence the
dealers in copper ore, and other merchandise OF
this class must furnish the buyers with the evi;
dence Of wbet amount of metal there is contained
in the article for which he is required to pay
given price, and that can only be done by snspee-
f;o and it is true that in the sale OF all merchan.
die of this class, except fertilizers, the buyer ls
furnished with authentic reports OF lnspectlon aud
the consequence is the buyers of copper ore always
get villa, they pay for. But the dealers IN tertat-
Sers do not furnish inspection reports OF what they
surance Of the value of what they buy, and not
unfrequently lose both money and crops, as many
can testify.
Now, the elements or substances which constl.
tnte the value of all fertilizers, precisely the
same and what they are is we'll known, and how
much Of them is contained in any fertilizer can
be easily ascertained with absolute certainty, 30
that there is no reason under the sun Why farmers
should not be furnished with the knowledge OF
what they receive in value when they buy fertil'
ger, the same the buyer OF copper or other oSes
Il is known fact, that animal matter, ammonia,
soluble phosphate and bone phosphate Of lime, are
the only substances in Peruvian and other guano,
and fertilizers of aohateuer ndme which gives them
their palue, aud one is better than another just
exactly in proportion as they contain more or less
of these things in proper proportion and condition.
This il q matter Of common sense; there is nothing
mysterious or complicated about it. and all 1t
wants is little attention and reflection, on the
part Of farmers, 10 place them in position IN
which thew cannot be deceived. We have been
and are surprised that intelligent farmers will
come to our cities and invest large sums Of money
In fertilizers without the least knowledge OF what
they get as to value, except perhaps That they
had bought something Of the same name before,
which turned out we'll Whether 1t ID worth the
price asked, they cannot tell Whether they
could buy more of the substances for the same or
less money in an article Of some other name, they
do not know. Is not this cropping, in the dark,
when light is highly important and easily had :!
Surely it is time for farmers to give attention to
this matter.
In England, fertilizers are sold, as copper ore is
sold, under inspection.
Farmers can establish the same rule and custom
in this market, if they will refuse to buy from
dealers who do not furnish reliable inspection re.
ports of ,ohat they sell. These reports must be
authentic; the dealer must be able to exhibit 70
his customers the original 1oritten report OF the
chemist, certiy that the samples were taken by
himself from the bags or bbs. which are delivered
to customers This is the only way in which this
business can be done for the projections, both OF
consumers and the legitimate trade
Surely the extent and importance OF the trade
demand that the same protection should be ex.
tended to farmers that is given to the buyers or
ores and other merchandise of the same genera!
class. JOHN .. hssos'
Pacific Guano is sold by the following author.
lied agents in the southern states, from whom
supplies may be procured by dealers at local
DOintS: :t=