The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-05-04

JACKSONVILLE, May 1st 1894.


TO WHOM 1T MAY CONCERN.
In reference to the recent re-
port of our State Chemist on fer
tilizers analysed by him, and
in which he gives the Mapes
manures a lower commercial
value than some others and a
lower value than given them in
previous bulletins, we beg to say
for your information:
1st. These reports as to ere
lative value" amount to but very
little anyway, because the chem
ist cannot know the TRUE value
of a fertilizer unless he can as
certain just what forms the
plant food is in, and this he ac-
knoWledges his inability to do
unless the manufacturers see fit
to inform him.
For instance, with ammonia
ingredients running in value
from 5 to Is cents per pound of
ammonia, you can readily see
that unless he can tell just which
grade or grades the manufac-
turer uses, it is all guess work
in fixing a value and to assume
that all use the same grade or
grades is a great injustice to such
as are known from affidavit to
use only the best materials.
So with the materials used for
phosphoric acid and potash.
Note this: In the calculation,
insoluble phosphoric acid is val
ued at Ii cents per pound. This
is all right if it is in rock, but
If in fine bone, it is worth 5 cts.
per pound, and as the Mapes Co.
use no rock but animal bone in
stead, the insoluble phosphoric
acid in their o. T. manure is
worth S1.S0 per ton, and in the
Fruit and Vine Sill per ton more
than they get credit for.
I'd. The real value depends also
as well on the choice varied
forms as on quantity Of plant
food, and to this the chemist
gives no attention.
The Mapes Co. have said that
they could make fertilizers of the
same strength as now given and
use unobjectionable forms of
plant food, but by cutting down
the variety of forms they could
cut down their prices from Is to
% per cent, and in 25-ton lots
they would do it.
Sd. The difference between
Commercial value as determ-
med by the chemist, and .Aori-
cultural value as found by the
users, has been seen at. .....
......... ....z..........
where a fertilizer given a COM
mercial value of over $500 in
our first bulletin and over $40. 90
in the 1898 bulletin was used
side by side with Mapes O. T.
reported at $33.S7, and where
the former is now being dis
carded for the latter, the Mapes
being found of far higher agri-
cultural value, and the agent
selling the other goods now
wants to handle Mapes to hold
his trade.
4. The user is the best Judge
every time of relative values,
and in Massachusetts, the state
chemist is prohibited by law
affiXing any definite value to
fertilizers analysed by him, be-
cause of his inability to ascer-
tain the forms used by the man.
ufacturers, and so the true val
lie of the fertilizers.
5. 1t is most emphatically true
that there has been no cutting
down in quantity or quality Of
plant food in the Mapes manures,
and as to the former the last
bulletin bears out this statement.
6. Have you had or seen salts
factory results from the use of
Mapes manures? Rest assured
they will continue to show up as
heretofore.
Z. Nearly every brand report
ed on is given we think a lower
valuation in this last bulletin
than in any previous one. Why
then should any newspaper sim
gle out the Mapes and call at
tention to them as if they stood
alone IN this lower valuation.
Respectfully,
THE J.R. TYsEs Co.
Railroad Contractors, Attent on
The undersigned wish bids for grad
inn tueinn aud LAYING two and nna