The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1875-02-26
NECESSITY
AND METHOD OF ECONOMIC
MANURING.


Farmers" article that appeared il
late number of your paper, crit
cising my communication upon tht
subject of commercial fertilizers
although my conceptions of the
planters interests differ vastly from
the opinion of "Farmer." Yet re.
peat that | am glad to see farmers
waking up to an investigation of thi;
important subject, and trust that il
may result in the exercise of more
care in the purchase of manures,
and enable them to evade the decep.
ton practiced by manufacturers and
dealers, in giving such analysis oil
their compounds, as has deluded
"Farmer," and hundreds of others,
as will directly show from the
analysis that Farmer himself has
presented as specimen of fair and
honest dealing.
If "Farmer" is sincere, in his
statement, that he is writing in the
interest of the planter, we will find
cause for astonishment in his asser-
ton, that it is the planters own
fault if they are cheated in purchas>
ing fertilizers.
1t will require, however, but a
short notice of the analysis he gives
to show that his vision in viewing
the planters interests, is quite dim,
and that he charges q fault to plan
ters that the manufacturers and deal
ers are entirely responsible for.
In presenting his analysis as made
by DR.. Means, "Farmer" says;
heterogeneous matter, yielding
amonia 1913, &C."
Now DR.. Means in one sense may
have made correct analysis, and |
concede that he has, but it is re-
markable fact that the Doctor does
not give the form of this amonia.-
Whether it is actual or potential, as
both he and the manufactures should
know, that its value depends upon
its condition. Nitrogen as potential
amonia, is contained in all manures
that are prepared from organic sub
stances, such as bones, meat, blood,
hoofs, horns, &c. The nitrogen
contains in these substances is given
out during their decomposition as
actual amonia, and the value of this
nitrogen should be calculated by the
amount of time required for their
decomposition If "Farmer" has
studied his lesson we'll, that he has
recited, as he says, Gin the planters
interests" it will require no reason
ing to show him that actual amonia
has marked effect upon the growth
of plants, while other substances
that are not quickly decomposed.
may contain an equal amount of Ms
trogen, and yet have no apparent
effect upon the growth of plants and
that the decomposition of Nitrogen
Gus substances and the formation Of
amonia," is work of time, and that
time is money. Now from the term
used by DR.. Means heterogeneous
matter yielding amonia," how does
"Farmer" know but that the amount
of actual amonia is very small and
not worth to the planter more than
half the price given to it. And in
what way are farmers to be blamed
for being cheated in their purchases
when such an unintelligible analysis
is presented them. 1t is reasona-
bic presumption however, that il
there had been large amount OF
actual amonia contained in the fer
tilizer, the manufacturer and dealers
would certainly have had it SO ex-
pressed, and a reasonable conclus-
ion is that as manufacturers and
dealers usually make use of uuintel-
ligible terms in giving their analyses
their object is to deceive the pur-
chaser.
Again, in the analyses that Farm
er presents, he gives value to more
than 3 per cent of insoluble phos'
phoric acid. Here again is the
planter cheated. Manures no mat.
ter what they contain, are valuable
to the planter only 10 proportion t.
the solubility of their fertilizing con
stituents. An agricultural chemis'
of high reputation says, "Most o
the superpbosphates that are now il
the market contain only tenth t.
one half of the phosphoric acid, in
soluble condition, because an insult
ficient amount Of sulphuric acid, ii
used, the balance being insoluble, il
of no value to the farmer, though i
may have a value of A cents PEI
ID. to the manufacturer, as a raw
material to make soluble phosphori'
acid from. They would fain maxi
the farmer believe that it is wortl
~ cents per ID to him.
Again he says "Insoluble phos
phoric acid, exceeding 8 per cen
in any manufactured superPifosphat
is proof positive of ignorance of tn
requirements of his business, cupid
ty, or dishonesty, on the part of tn
manufacturer.
1t is possible that manufacturer
may object to my allowing then
nothing for the insoluble portion Q
the phosphoric acid, contained il
their superphosphates. They mus