Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-03-28
Agricultural.
The Standard valuation Of the Chem.
lcnIa On EnrIIlILnrn too Llinh.

The Standard valuation Of the Chem
icaIs IN Fertilizers too High.
We have more than once, in these columns,
protested against the standard established by
tho experiment stations in making their esti
mates Of the value Of fertilizers That they
have boon too high has been evident from tho
fact that several manufacturers have been
Ablo to sell-presumably at good prodt-for
n large per cent less than tho estimated value
at the established station rates. Dr. Hoskins
has an able article on this subject in o recent
number Of the Waterman. He says that the
Connecticut report has in previous years taken
123 cents as the standard upon which to esti-
mate the value Of "phosphoric acid soluble in
water" in the fertilizers it examines. For
1888 il reduces this to II cents, but its own
pages show this to be far too high. Even in
an experiment on a small scale at making
homemade superphosphate, ii says (page
800 Soluble phosphorio acid was got at SIS
per 100 pounds" And in the analyses of
plain superphosphates, on page 30, it shows
that the soluble phosphoric acid in phosphates
bought in the open market at ton rates cost
the buyer, in two cases, only $0.GG and S0.57
per 100 pounds. Why, then, allow these
makers l / cents, when they are satisfied with
~ cents at retail2 And the report itself says
in its review of the fertilizer market (pago 73):
I'm plain superphosphates,' containing over
10 per cent of soluble phosphorio acid, the
latter has cost So. so per 100 pounds, at retail
far cash, bought of the manufacturers. No
allowance is made for reverted and insoluble
phosphoric acid Such an allowance would
make the soluble acid cost still less" Why,
then, does the station allow IL cents rs the
value of this component of fertilizers? II
soluble phosphoric acid can be made on
small scale at a cost Of only eight cents per
pound, and it can be bought at retail for only
$3.50 with no allowance for from 81 to So
worth of reverted and insoluble phosphoric
acid in the same fertilizer), it seems to be
very unjust to the farmer to make IL cents
the standard price by which the values of the
fertilizers in the market are to be Judged.
We have shown that even by this standard
some of the leading brands are found to be
sold from % to 40 per cent too high II we
should take eight instead of II cents pound
rs the standard, it would be found that many
makers are getting more than 80 per cent too
much for their goods.
But let us look little further iuto this mat
ter. Insolube phosphoric acid in foreground
rock phosphate cost in 1888 according to the
table of Trade Values on page 2j), q cents
n pound at ton rates. The unground rock is
quoted at $3.50 to 50 per ton by the cargo.
This contains from 500 to 700 pounds of phos
Yhorio ooiI NIL tbp - -, h.
manufacturer probably does not exceed 81. 80
per ton, or say $l1 a ton ground, which
would make the cost of the insoluble phos-
phoric acid in it about two cents per pound.
Now, in order to make this usoluble phos-
phoric acid soluble, 100 parts by weight of
the ground rock are spread in mortar led
and wet with ~ parts of water 30 parts of
strong oil of vitriol goo acid are then added,
and the whole thoroughly mixed with hoes
Heat enough is produced by the action of the
acid to dry out the surplus water leaving the
now soluble phosphate ready for use either
directly, as plain superphosphate, or to be
mixed with certain proportions of heterogeneous
and potassic materials to form complete fer
tilizer. Now We see that the whole process
in the factory consists in mixing insoluble
phosphate rock, in pulverized form, with
~ per cent of water, costing nothing, and 80
per cent of oil of vtrol, costing (see page 49,
from to u cents pound from the dealers
(Which includes putting up in carboys and
the makers profit. The phosphate makers
manufacture their own acid, at a cost not ex
ceeding one cent pound. Now, making the
most liberal allowances for labor, interest on
capital, and other expenses, it would be very
difficult to show that soluble phosphoric acid
in any fertilizer in the market can cost the
maker over four cents a pound, and why the
experiment stations, by their tables and esti-
mates, allow them from IL to 12i cents as a
fair selling price, is very difficult to under
stand. AS will be seen by reference to the
price-list of fertilizers and fertilizng materi-
ais recently printed in the Waterman (Febru
airy POI, plain superphosphate 10 to 1G per
cent soluble phosphoric acid, can be bought
in Boston at $40 per ton, or say g cents per
pound for its soluble phosphoric acid II the
dealers and makers are satisfied to sell at this
rate, why, in the name of common sense,
should the stations continue to allow them
nearly twice that price in estimating trade
values In this last estimate of Gl cents a
pound no allowance is made for any reverted
or insoluble phosphate in the article sold,
which, under any analysis we have ever SEEM
would reduce the actual cost to less than six
cents pound for the soluble acid.