Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-09-24
Agricultural.
The Use Of Commercial Fertilizers.

The Use OF Commercial Fertilizers.
The extensive use Of commercial or arti-
fcally prepared fertilizers is a modern phase
of farming The manufacture Of fertilizers
only begun to attain considerable importance
twenty years ago, as is shown by the census
of 1860 The amount then made was small
compared with that annually sold for the
past ten years There was then but single
mandatory in the State of Massachusetts,.
1t had q capital of $50, 600, and produced in
value Of the manufactured fertilizer, $50, 900.
This was about ono-tenth the whole value of
all the fertilizers manufactured in the United
States.
Forty-seven establishments were at this
time (1sGO) engaged in the business Thirty
one were in the Middle States, twelve in the
New England States, three in the Southern
States, and two in the Western States. In
the Pacific States there were none. The val
ne of fertilizers manufactured in the Middle
States was $3.50, 600 in the Southern States,
1924, 900 in the New England States $780,
900; in the Western States $4,000; total in
the United States, 1902 OOO A single man
ufacturer now claims to have invested in the
business more than the whole capital Of the
AZ establishments Of the United States in
1860. The census of 1870 shows a skiold
increase of the value of manufactured fertil-
izers in the preceding decade. There were
then 1876 establishments distributed among
twenty different States producing SIS, 500, 600
value of fertilizers, not including guano nor
ground plaster. Statistics of the last census are
not yet published; they will probably show
an increase in the quantity of artificial fer
tilizers manufactured, above that reported by
the census of 1870. Including guano and
ground plaster, the value of fertilizers now
annually applied to the soil in this country,
may be estimated at not less than $40, 600,
600. The various artificial preparations of
ammonia, phosphates, potash ETC., comprise
about two-thirds of this value. II is only
within less than twenty-five years that these
have been generally known or used except in
limited districts near large markets. The
values as given in the census returns, are, of
course, computed from the manufacturers
prices. Before they reach the farmers hands,
the profits of agents and retailers are added
to them; this is no inconsiderable sum. 1t
is a question whether farmer cannot do bet
ter than to pay a very large percentage above
the first cost of any fertilizer, even in cases
where its application increases the value of
the crops as much, or more than the amount
paid for it. The essential elements of the
fertilizer may often be found on his own
farm, or in his immediate ueghborhood and
only the knowledge of their skillful compost
ton is wanting to save for himself the cost
of transportation and the profits of the manu-
facturer, agent, and retailer. IT. after adding
all these to the first cost, it can still be used
at profit, as doubtless in many cases it may,
it shows the great value of sources of fertil-
ity that have heretofore been allowed to run
to waste
large manufacturer Of commercial fer
tilizers says that farmers should not under
take to make thom for themselves perhaps
this may be dsinterested advice. 1t is true
that when an article is manufactured on a
large scale, it can be made cheaper than an
individual can make it in small quantities
but when we add to the manufacturers prof
its freight and commissions the cost in dis
tant localities is SO much increased that,
when the material is at hand, a home made
article, if not so skillfully prepared, may be of
more value proportioned to its cost.
The application of barnyard or stable ma
nure was once almost the only resource to
maintain the fertility of the land. The turn
ing of the attention of the farming commun-
ity to other means of increasing the fertility
of the soil, is one of the most obvious benefits
that has resulted from the use of commercial
fertilizers. 1t is not probable that stable
manure viii ever lose its reputation as the
best enricher of the soil but we have no
less, but more, manure when we increase the
productiveness of land by other means. II the
increased product is fed to animals on the
farm, the more the soil is made to pro-
duce by the use of artificial fertilizers, the
greater the product of stable manure.