Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-03-28
MONTPELIER w. WEDNESDAY, %,

which the substances are found greatly
affect their value. In regard to nitrogen,
the most costly, we are not informed as to
The amount of soluble or insoluble, but IL is
usually stated as organic substance, "yield-
ing ammonia"
BUT WE ARE LEFT IN IGNORANCE
as 10 when these changes take place in the
soil Phosphoric acid is required to be
stated the amount of soluble, reverted and
insoluble, and different prices are attached
to each, differing widely, and yet such
authority as j. B. Lewes, writing in the
North British Agriculturisf, says "When
soluble phosphate Of lime Is precipitated in
the soil It is In finer state OF division than
can be effected by any mechanical opera
tiop, and as minuteness Of division Is one
of the great objects to be obtained, II would
be reasonable TO conclude that dissolved
phosphate would be more efficacious than
one that was merely ground. Although
phosphates under every possible form have
been under experiment here for forty years,
have nothing conclusive TO bring forward
in regard TO the great superiority Of soluble
over insoluble phosphates." Professor S.
w. johnson says I" The ultimate effect OF
acting on bones with suphuric acid is the
same as extreme pulverization. Bone flour
is as active and effectual fertilizer as the
sulphated bcne. In other words, given
amount Of money and labor expended in
raw bone often goes farther and does bet
ter than when put in sulphated bones"
Soluble phosphate cannot be taken in that
condition by plants, for II 1t was 1t would
act corrosively on their tender tissues, but
it reverts to its original condition, except
that it ia now in the finest possible state OF
division.
LESS DEPENDS ON THE soLUBmITY"
than on the fineness of the state of division
OF the manures. Farmers who had 80 long
been paying SO much more for dissolved
phosphate were rather startled by the results
and became naturally anxious for further
tests hence the great interest taken in MIR.
Lswson's experiments of 1880, which cor
roborate those of 1879, in showing that
ground undissolved phosphate is an econom
ical and valuable fertilizer for turnip crop,
and gives better yield than dissolved phos-
pilates. The great point to see to, however,
| is not so much it's solubility as the fneness
] of the state Of division. Farmers purchase
| fertilizers on the basis Of fictitious valua.
tions, usually about fifty per cent above their
market value. In Professor Goessmann's
tenth annual report as state inspector OF fer
tilzers, he gives the wholesale price Of fer
| tilizers in New York and Boston for 1882
and also the retail prices allowed to the
manufacturer in the valuation OF fertilizers,
and the difference between the retail and
the wholesale price is forty per cent on nj.
trogen in the form of nitric acid in form OF
ammonia fifty per cent, in form of dried
meat and blood fifty per cent; on phosphoric
acid, soluble, as contained in alkaline phos-
pilates and superphosphates, forty FER cent
on potassium, forty per cent. Wholesale price
of nitrogen in form of nitric acid, eighteen
cents; the price allowed In the valuation of
fertilizers, twenty. five cents. Wholesale price
of nitrogen in form of ammonia, seventeen
and a half cents price allowed in the vslua-
ton Of fertilizers, twenty-six cents. Whole
sale price of nitrogen in form of dried meat
and blood, sixteen cents; price allowed in
the valuation of fertilizers, twenty-four
cents. Wholesale price of pbosphoric acid,
as contained in alkaline phosphates and su-
perphosphates, nine cents; price allowed IN
the valuation of fertilizers, twelve and half
cents. Wholesale price of potassium oxide
| (potasb), three and half cents price al
lowed in the valuation of fertilizers, FIVE
cents. In the annual report of the
CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT
| STATION
for 1870 it states, "Duriug the past season
the unit of ammonia in fish blood, etc, has
been worth in New York but from $3.50 10
81 80. At $3.50 per unit Of ammonia the
wholesale price of nitrogen would be ten
and one-half cents per pound, with, in gen.
eral, several per cent of. phosphorio acid
thrown in" Now what justifies the station
in valuing the same nitrogen when it comes
into our retail market at twenty cento a
pound and at the same time allowing sew
eral cents pound for the accompanying
acid As the values are now stated, most
consumers think they are actual values, and
not prices fixed for the purposes of COM
parison, and are consequently misled and
deceived, and induced thereby to pay more
than fair price for the article they use. 1t
is well stated that at the prices the manu-
facturers charge the station would be justi-
fed in employing trade values higher than
it has emploved. In the report of the sta
tion for 1879, page 81, is given the value Of
several fertilizers, also the manufacturers
| price to consumer: