The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-10-23
FARM, FIELD AND GARDEN.
czvoTED TO AGRICULTURE IN ITS
VARIOUS BRANCHES.

Nm. MIXED rer.iiirers-Zhe Advantages
Claimed for Home Mixing u~ss"iness
AT Ready Made Mixtures for Those Not
willing 10 Handle the Raw Materials
Al the Connecticut agricultural ex-
neriment station an analysis has been
made Of all the samples Of home mixed
fertilizers sent TO the station this year
A bulletin recently received gives these
analyses. with such facts as could be
gained regarding their cost, etc Inc
average cost Of materials for the fertii-
izers referred to IN this bulletin Is SS5. ~
per ton deliVerrd AZ the purchasers
freight station. Tw0 dollars viii fnlly
cover the cost Of screening and mixing,
this figure being more than the estimate
Of those who have done the work AZ
the highest estimate. therefore. theaver-
age cost Of these lome mixed fertilizers
las been S35.59 per tom The average
valuation decided by the stations anaiy-
els has been S3s.s3 per ton. In no case
was the valuation less than the cost of
the chemicals mixed
The advantages claimed FOR home mix
inr. in this bulletin, are: /. Each in
rredient can be separately examined by
the purchaser. and, if necessary. sent TO
the experiment station for analysis. The
detection Of inferior forms Of nitrogen OF
phosphoric acid iseasier and more GER
tain in n single article than in a mixture.
.. An intelligent farmer by home mix
ing il better able than any one else can
be 10 adapt the composition Of his feItil-
izers to the special requirements OF his
land rs well as Of his crop. 3. IL IS
claimed that the same quantity and quail
its Of plant food costs much less in home
mixtures than in ready made mixtures,
because the cash purchaser Of fertilizer
chemicals deals directly with the inn
porter or manufacturer.
Il will be seen from the foregoing that
at the Connecticut station the expediency
Of home mixing. in many cases, is be-
Iieved in. There is no question that
mixtures of raw materials can be and
are annually made on the farm which
are uniform in quality, fine and ory, and
equal to the ready made fertilizers. The
economy Of home mixing depends. OF
course. on the prices which the sellers of
mixed goods are willing to take and on
the cost Of fcrtilizing chemicals deliver
ed az near the farm as the mixed goods
can be bought. Each individual farmer,
concludes the bulletin. ought 10 be the
:est Judge of the economy Of home
mixing in his particular case. as well as
OF the formulas which are best adapted
20 his soil and crops
The report quoted from is certainly
correct in the statement that intelligent
farmers who understand the require
ments Of their own soils and crops can,
IN many instances. save money by mix
ing at home the crude materials. But,
on the other hand. there are a large
number Of farmers who do not know
what their land requires, and who can
not or will not spend time and money ii
experimenting 10 find out For thi.
class the ready made mixtures, espe
cially the complete" and especial" fer
tilizeTs bearing Trustworthy brands. arr
the safest investment. The ready made
mixtures slso meet the requirements Oi
those who are not willing to give thC
necessary time and labor to the handling
and mixing Of the raw materials.