The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-08
Homemade Fertilizers.

The agricultural experiment stations
throughout the country have rendered
great service to agriculture, and the far
mer begins to appreciate 1t. says an Ex-
change. Until the station chemists began
to analyze fertilizers. the farmer was at
the mercy Of the dealer and the manufac-
turer, often spending good money for
leather shavings and granite chips, and
other stuff of no fertilizing value, losing
not only his money but also his time, la
Dor and the crop.
There are good fertilizers enough. and
the manufacturers and dealers in them
are above suspicion; and there are, or
there were, fertilizers whose absence was
more to be desired than their presence,
whatever the price paid for them. But the
chemical analysis at stations has driven
the worthless fertilizers from the market
TO great extent, and II has also given the
farmer exact Information In regard 10 the
fertilizing value of the fertilizer bought.
II the farmer is willing to pay forty
dollars ton for his fertilizer, he has the
right; but If he learns that the fertilizer
in question is worth only thirty dollars a
ton, he is paying the manufacturer ten
dollars ton to prepare his fertilizer for
him. 1t IS claimed, and 1t is true, that the
manufacturer can mix chemicals and pre-
mer; but If the farmer can save five or ten
dollars a ton by mixing his own fertilizers.
1t is worth saving; and then he will also
have the satisfaction of knowing exactly
what he Is putting into his soil.
A fertilizer has been sold in the market
for several years in small lots at the rate
of $50 a ton. 1t was discovered last year
that the value of the fertilizer was only
$l1.A a ton, the farmer losing exactly
S4S.76 ton on that investment. The ex-
pertinent station has the credit of expos
ing that business. In one state, in 1893,
seventy-four brands of fertilizers were
sold; the average selling price per ton was
1919, and the average commercial valua-
ton at the experimental station was $23. 40.
making an average difference Of Sl2 a ton.
Every man Is worthy his hire and the
Manufacturers of fertilizers are not eXcep-
tions; but the farmer can mix his own
fertilizers. as shown by actual experiment,
for 81 70 a $3.50 ton. If the average value
of seventy-four fertilizers Is $2379, the
cost to the farmer, If he mix them himself,
would be only $3.50 a ton a. the outside
estimate, making "A saving Of more than
so ton. And this saving may be made
If the chemicals be bought at retail; If he
would be bought in large quantities.. the
saving would be more
The progressive farmer In many parts
of the country is giving his attention 10
the mixing of his own fertilizers. At first
he shrank form this work, because he
thought IL required some knowledge of
chemistry IA scientific insight"-which
he had not opportunity or inclination TO ac-
quire. No scientific knowledge is required to
mix fertilizers. Dealers in and manufac-
turers of chemicals are adapting their bus
mess to meet the trade that comes from the
farmers. In one state. where the con-
sumption of fertilizers is known, IL is es-
timated that the farmers might have
saved $4,000 if they had mixed their own
fertilizers.