Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-03-20
Agricultural.
BePOrt Of the Connecticut Experiment.

REPORT OF the A0mmeGNtGNN ENHRNNNANhN
station,
We are in receipt Of the annual report Of
the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Sta
ton for 1884. It contains $50 pages devoted
mainly to reports Of the result Of the analy-
sis Of fertilizers and feeding stufs, with such
explanations and statements Of principles as
will enable any one but little versed in chem
istry to have a practical understanding of the
results obtained. Under the able supervision
Of Prof. s. W. johnson, the director of the
station, the work in these speoialtes is Of
the highest authority. During the year
which the report covers, III different brands
of fertilizers have been legally offered for
sale in Connecticut (about five times as ma
ny as In VermonD and a considerable num-
Der Of home made fertilizers and waste prod
uots used as manure have also been analysed,
making the total number Of fertilizer anal.
yses 272. The report contains all the analy-
SEES of American feeding stuffs which could
be obtained made in this country up to Sep
TENDER, 1884, together with twelve analyses
made during the year at the Connecticut sta
ton, giving the average composition as found
by large number Of analyses Of 100 differ
ent kinds of feed.
The station also tested considerable num-
Der OF seeds. Out of 48 samples examined
81 per cent. we're found to be quite inferior
and three of them absolutely worthless.
The report shows that most of tie brands
Of fertilizers extensively used in this part of
the state are sold at from So to S12 per ton
above their fair value, or so much more than
their estimated value, computing the nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash at lis market
price in the separate chemicals. Two or
three brands largely used here fall below the
lowest per cent of the guarantee in one or
more of the three essential ingredients. On
ly one of the complete fertilizers analysed at
the Connecticut station the past year was
sold at price less than the valuation. The
valuation is the retail price of the raw mate.
rails of which the complete fertilizer is COM
posed. The large manufacturer, of course,
gets the materials at much less than the re-
tail price, and could afford to sell the mixed
goods at the station valuation and still make
a fair profit The fact that few brands are
sold for less than the valuation-several as
reported by the Connecticut station in 1888,
and one in 1884 at $S.O4 less-seems to
prove that the cost to the manufacturers is
below the standards fixed upon by the sta.
tions. Yet this report says that the valua-
ton Of the ingredients in most cases falls
considerably below the retail price of the
goods, and that the difference between the
two represents the manufacturer charges
for converting raw materials into msnufac-
tured articles. "These charges are for grind.
ing and mixing, bsgging or barreling stor.
age and transportation, commission to agents
or dealers, long credits, interest on invest
ments, bad debts, and finally, profits" all of
which, unless we except the long credits and
bad debts we have reason to believe would
leave the last-profits--if all fertilizers were
sold at or below the station valuations.