Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-09-08
Cost and Valuation of Fertilizers.

A gentleman of Brdgewater, Massachu-
sets, thoroughly familiar with the subject,
who has read our articles upon Cheaper
Fertilizers" sends us the following letter re-
garding one important portion of the ques.
tons there discussed. 1t will be observed
that Mr.. Ward claims that organic nitro
gen, the most costly constituent of our pur-
chased fertilizers, is estimated by the chemi-
cal analysts at about double its actual cost
to the manufacturer of fertilizers, and that
even at that rate few of the standard fer
tilizers come up in value TO their market
price. We regard Mr. Wards article as a
very valuable contribution to our stock of
information in matter wherein most of
our readers are much interested. 1t is
charged that the agricultural papers printed
in the cities refuse contributions of this
sort, because they fear the withdrawal OF
advertising patronage by the makers of fer
tilizers. If this is so (and certainly such
articles are very rarely seen in any of our
agricultural exchanges) the distrust which
farmers so justly feel toward the "Market
Reports" of the agricultural press will be
extended to everything they contain in
which their advertisers have any interest
adverse to that of their readers. Farmers
certainly have a right to demand that the
interests of the subscribers to agricultural
journals shall have precedence of the inter
ests of advertisers, or at the least, that both
sides should have fair showing. We be-
lieve that fertilizer makers are entitled to a
reasonable profit on their goods, but we de-
cdedly say that they cannot long prosper
unless they are willing to "talk turkey" to
the farmers part of the time The follow
ing is Mr.. Wards article:
In the annual report of 1879 of the Connecticut
Agricultural Experiment Station the price of nj
trogen on which they base the commercial value
of fertilizers is, in Peruvian guano, fine steamed
bones dried and fine ground blood meat and fish,
twenty cents pound and on page ffty-6ve it
gives the cost of active ingredients of fertilizers
in 1879 as follows:
"Orgdnic Nitrogen.-Fish scrap dried meat
and tanking 1.-THE latter sometimes termed azo-
tine are produced in immense quantities and con-
sumed for fertilizer purposes They do not, how
ever pass to any considerable extent directly into
the hands of farmers and are not largely applied
produced, but they are mostly sold from the Men
haden works and slaughter houses to the COM
Founders Of superphosphates and other artificial
fertilizers, where they are used to supply nitro
gen to these articles, being mixed with various
phosphates treated with oil of vitrol, with potash
salts, etc.
"The first wholesale cost of organic nitrogen
is but little more than one-half what the Station
allows as the fair retail price Fish scrap dried
blood, meat and tankings are sold at so much pei
unit of ammonia without regard to the phos
phoric acid, which in dried fish amounts to from
six to seven per cent, and in dried blood, meat
etc, range from less than one up to ten per cent
according as more or less bone happens to he in
cluded. During the past summer the unit of am
monia in fish, blood, etc. has been worth in New
York but from go to $50. At $50 per unit o.
ammonia the whole sale price OF nitrogen woult
be 10 1-3 cents per pound, with in general severa
per cent of phOsphoric acid thrown in.
g Now what justites the Station in valuing THU
same nitrogen when it comes into our retail
market at twenty cents pound, and at the SAM
time allowing several cents for the accompanying
phosphoric acid? The Station only can answe
that the retail market price justlfes the trad
value 1t employs, and would, as far as many o
the superphospates and all the guanos other thai
Peruvian are concerned justify values higher thai
it has employed.
'The station will retain for the coming year tn
valuation used in 1879 The present upward ten
dency of prices renders it inexpedient to maxi
any change and they answer perfectly for til
purpose of comparing one fertilizer with another
II Is true that they answer perfectly the pur
pose OF comparing one fertilizer with another
and it is equally as true that if the prices Of tn
different articles were put at a rate above thei
cost that would give the manufacturers a GOO
round profit Zone hundred per cent is too much,
the comparison could be made equally as well
As 1t Is now stated, many consumers think 1t
the actual value, and not merely one assumed 70
the purpose Of comparison They are const
quently misled and induced thereby to pay NOR
than fair value for the article they use. 1t
well stated that at the prices the manufacturer
charge, the station would be justified in employ
ing trade values higher than it has employed ex
cepting in standing Peruvian guano. In this &c
ano organic nitrogen has been retailed at sxtee
cents pound The farmers are misled into pa,
ing these and higher prices by the valuation
without regard to market value adopted by IL
station, and which they term commercial va
ue In the report of 1879, page fifty -four, is g
en- their valuation of several special fertilizer
also the manufacturers prices to the consume
Station Manfrs. Cost excee
value. price. yaluatio
Tobacco feTtilizer.......... s3s.73 5000 SLIP 4