The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-12
8irl,upl,d Dispattb
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TUEsDAY.. =. sff ~ : nay Di IA, 1876.
IFor the Dis,satc'
Bnvang Ferts ~ =, :.

writer In the w ~ !. has toncl,ed on
subject Of prime iT tastann me- the
rules Tor ae.errnir ..as the value q CONNER.
cal manMurss ., Financially our state oeoe
is smell - crest in comparison WIN .ne
cost OIL IN re manures, and YET tneIe ~ Nv
form O merchandise so difficult to judge
oil - any tests known TO the purchaser.
Bot the subject is coming under controi,
Ind III the farmers could DE INFORMED as 70
two or three simple results which have been
ascertained they could protect themselves
on the main points OF quality ana prlce.
In buying they need to Enow-first, aehat
me manure contaias and second, whdt they
ouoht 10 pau for 1t. On the first point the
law offers protection In requiring the seller
10 attach the analysis to every bag. This
analysis must give the per cent. Of all the
ingredients OF value to tbe farmer. When
properly given It Is easily understood by
any intelligent man. But for different rea-
sons the seller may give the analysis In so
compIicateGi form that the ordinary buyer
cal, make nothing OF 1t, or he can state
1t so as to deceive the buyer with
n,,t actually stating a falsehood.
For example, it might be stated
that the manure contains from two to SIX
per cent Of ammonia, whereas three per
cent. may be the highest rate ever actually
existing. Hence the article cannos ever be
worth as much, perhaps by twenty dollars
in q ton, as the analysis would indicate, ana
vet 1t would be hard to make out case OF
fraud. The only safe course under sucn
circumstances Is for the farmer to make his
calculations on the minimum rate given
Some margin has to be allowed for slight
variations In different lots, but one per cent.
is enough for that. II the analysis be Kept
in the background. or il when produced it
be confused, or fails to give an exact and
lucid statement Of contents, the farmer VIII
need to be extra cautious.
Our law on the subject is, upon the
whole, good one; but presume that very
few farmers have ever seen it. Every ma
nurc-buyer ought to keep copy OF 1t, In
order that he may see that he has the pro-
lection which the Legislature has given to
him. II the ingredients Of a manure offer
ed are not given according to law there IS
reason for 1t.
Having lucid analysis before him, and
one which is guaranteed by the seller, the
farmer need have no further concern II he
Is dealing with responsible merchant or
manufacturer; for he has first only to cal
cuIate for himself the money value OF the
ingredients declared to be in the manure,
and then il he buys to lay away sample
for future analysis in case any reason should
arise for testing the contents In the lapora
tory. as *,
As stated by the correspondent of tht
Whig, there are only two Tor three) ele
uents in mixed manure which need to bt
considered by farmer Tor planter)-name
", ammonia and phosphoric acid, and, FOL
special purposes, potash. Potash Is no"
sold separately ut lower rates than the farm
er can usually buy it for in mixtures. Blu
the following table, issued from the Georgi;
Agricultural College, and, believe, gene
rally recognized as correct, gives the value:
Of the ingredients above mentioned:
Cents
per pound
Forsphosphorlc acid, soluble IN Waterman. 16a
Forireduced phosphorc acid. 16A
Forhnsolube pliOsphorfc acid ................. 55
Enr notash ...,........................... ca
FOR nitrogen oo
EThese are the rates Mt which these lnSre
dients can be purchased, all mixed and ready
for use, in fertilizers, both general and spc
cial. Freight, OF course, would have to bt
odIn1 h,rt NOTHING more. p. Y. Il,