The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-14
FACTS ABOUT FERTILIZERS.
Their Principal Sources The Cheapest
Form in Which TO Purchase Then.

Their Principal Sources Cheapest
Form in Which to Purchase Them.
The cheapest form in which 10 buy
commercial fertilizers is an important
question. and intelligent farmers viii he
interested in the following. from Amer
lean Agriculturist. bearing on the subject.
Of materials furnishing phOsphoric acid.
South Carolina and Florida rock phos-
phate and bones are the most largely
used; The rock phosphate contains about
81 per cent. or phosphate of lime. which
is about the same as is contained in bones.
When the rock is ground fine and treated
with sulphuric acid. II resolves itself in
to tvo substances. one is a soluble phos-
phate of lime called superphosphate; the
other is sulphate of lime-that is. gyp-
sum. or land plaster. These two sub
stances cannot well be separated, SO they
are sold together under the name Of SUI
perphosphate. This usually contains "A
per cent of soluble phosphoric acid and
can he bought for from SIS TO SIS per ton.
making the phosphoric acid cost from 3
to So cents per pound.
Ground hone or bonemeal contains
about % per cent. of phosnhoric acid in
An insolubie condition. 1t also contains
about per cent. Of nitrogen. also insol-
uble. Both the phosphoric acid and nj
troeen become available as pant food by
chemical action in the soil. The rapid
ity with which these changes take place
largely depends upon the bneness of the
bonemeal. Calling the pLoaphorc acid
in the fine boEemeal worth A. cents per
pound and the nitrogen worth H. cents
per pound, bonemeal is worth $50 70 per
ton
Another source OF phosphoric acid is 4
phosphate of lime produced as "a product
in the manufacture of steel 1t is called
FtHr arf,
Thomas Stag" and "odorless phosphate"
This phosphate contains about 20 per
cent of phosphovic acid in a condition
that is insoluble in water, but when
ground very fine soon becomes available to
the plants. This is particularly true on
low or mucly ground. 1t is claimed that
phosphorc acid in this form is more east
y taken up by the plants than in the
form in which il occurs in bones. Calling
the phosphoric acid in this phosphate
worth AZ cents per pound, its value is
SIS per ton.
The principal sources of nitrogen are
nitrate Of soda, sulphate of ammonia,
dried blood, tankage and yard manure.
Nitrate of soda contains about Is per
cent. of nitrogen, or from $40 TO 800 pounds
a ton. As a ton of nitrate of soda can
be bought for SAC or S47 nitrogen in this
form costs Is cents per pound. Sulphate
of ammonia contains about 20 per ceut.
or 400 pounds per ton. II costs SO per ton,
which makes nitrogen i'm this form cost
TIA cents per pound. The amount of nj
trogen in dried blood is somewhat va
riable, 10 per cent. being, ! think. about
the average. The prices are also variable
If it contains 10 per cent. of nitrogen,
there would be 200 pounds per ton which.
at Is cents per pound, would make the
blood worth $50 per ten. Potash can he
bought in the form of muriate of potash
which contains 50 per cent actual potash.
for about az cents per pound. In the
form of high grade" suphate of potash
it costs 5l2 cents per pound.