The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-11-19
Connecticut Experiment Stations
Report.
SECOND ARTICLE.

A question Of importance to every
farmer proposing to use fertilizers dur
ing the coming season is, whether the
so-called "Formula Fertilizers " (of
which the Stockbridge fertilizers "
constitute the bulk sold in Vermont)
possess any particular merit on the
ground for which they are recon-
mended, that each one is particularly
adapted to one special crop. The eX-
pertinent station Analysed five corn
manures," six ''petato manures," four
"tobacco manures,'' and four "onion
manures." The average cost to the
purchaser of all the special fertilizers
except those for grass Called lawn fer
tilizers) was $49.9S; their average val
uation (by the stations method of val
uing was S42.53, making the average
overcharge $7.45 per ton, upon the eX-
tremely liberal basis adopted by the
station. On the question of special
adaptation, the Report says: " On page
Al is table compiled from all the
analyses of the special manures there
named which have been made in this
station and in the New Jersey station
since 1878. 1t shows the average COM
position of each brand as well as the
fluctuations in the composition of each.
1t also shows that there is no uniform
and striking difference between the
composition of fertilizers which are
claimed to be specially adapted to the
demands of one particular crop and the
composition of those made for another
crop. The term especial" is mean
ingless, and there is no apparent reason
for calling one of the samples an onion
manure rather than a corn or potato
manure, for it would be impossible for
any one to decide from its composition
either what crop it was best suited for,
or for what crop its manufacturer de-
signed it. AS a matter of fact, they
are "superphosphates " of rather bet
ter quality than those usually sold I'M
der that name, and they are sold at
proportionally high price, at least.
The valuation of ground bone by the
station is based upon its fineness, the
finest SMALLER than one-fiftieth of an
inch) being estimated at ten cents a
pound for its phosphoric acid and seven
teen cents for its nitrogen; medium
(between one twenty-fifth and one
twelfth) at five cents for phosphoric acid
and fourteen cents for nitrogen; and
coarse Oarger than one siXth) at four
cents for phosphoric acid and eleven
cents for nitrogen. We think the diff
ferences here made are too much, for
several reasons. The finest is gener-
ally made from the hardest bones, be-
ing mostly the sawdust of the factories
where bone is made into handles, but
tons, etc. For this purpose the very
hardest and least soluble bone is en-
ployed We are using some of this
sort ourself, this year, because it hap
pened that we could get it at a less
freight. 1t costs us fifty-fveseents per
ton delivered, or two and three fourths
cents a pound. 1t is perfectly dry.
(Some of this grade is quite damp,
water being used to make the saws run
easier, we believe.) But the appear
ance of this hard bone dust does not
strike us favorably. We doubt if it is
as soluble as South Carolina phosphate
rock of the same fneness. We should,
under ordinary circumstances, prefer
bone dust from softer bone, even if of
only medium fineness, at the same
price. But there is another reason why
we think the difference between these
grades should be less. Take bone of
exactly the same quality, but of differ
ent degrees of fineness. The differ
ences in their value as fertilizers must
be based upon only two things, O) the
greater quickness with which the con-
stituents can be taken up by the feeding
roots of the plants; and, (2) the wider
dispersion of the particles in the soil +,
= in consequence of their lineness. There
is no doubt but in time the roots of sue
cessive crops will consume all the bone
of even the coarsest grades. 1t is there
fore, at bottom, only question of in
terest, except perhaps with tenant farm
ers under short leases. No field ex-