The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-06
FERTILIZERS BIG sHIPMENTs.
SOME DECREASE COMPARED WITH
LAST SEASON, HOWEVER.

Orders Were Slow at the beginning
Of the Season and Charleston Man
nfacturers Cut Frices-others Fob
lowed suit-EesuIt Was Big sales
and Small ProntS-ShiDmcnts- 10 to
20 Per Cent. Less Than Last Sea-
son.
The shipping season with the fertilizer
manufacturers is drawing to a close and
the manufacturers are beginning to take
stock of their seasons work.
Opinions differ as to what the shortage
Is compared with the previous seasons
sales II is not as large. however, as 1t
was thought ii woulG be 1t the beginning
of the season. Tho fact that a shortage
was anticipated bcause of the slowness
with which orders we're received in the
early part of the season in itself con-
tributed TO prevent any large shortage.
Manufacturers with large stocks on
hand promptly proceeded TO cut prices in
order to work off stocks and the result
was to largely increase the sales at once.
In fact, the manufacturers have express
ed their surprise at the heavy shipments
of the last two months and now that
the stocks have gone some of them are
beginning to regret that they We're in
such haste to reduce prices.
The Charleston manufacturers are said
to be responsible for the cut though it
seems to have been promptly met in this
state. The consequence was that the
planters obtained fertilizers cheaper than
ever before and the result of this is that
they have invested largely. 1t is gener-
ally agreed, however. that the sales are
somewhat below those of last year, the
shortage being estimated at from 10 TO %
per cent. The interior manufactures are
said not TO have Jared so well as those
ON the coast and it is believed that they
can account for a larger shortage.
Several Savannah manufacturers were
Geen yesterday and their general statement
was that the season opened up with very
duh prospect, In January and February,
however, the shipments were very heavy,
and the close of the season finds them with
stocks pretty well exhausted. Some of
the manufacturers, anticipating a lighter
demand. on account of the low prices of
cotton, reduced their output somewhat,
and on account of the low prices prevail
tAa w III A4tAtiS tllcS nave no ASdSOil ~
regret their action
The fact that many orders for fertilizers
are now being turned down by the facto-
ries is evidence that there is no lack of
demand in the country for fertilizers, and
that the slow demand in the beginning of
the season was no indication that the cot
ton Planters would not endeavOr to make
a bigger crop than ever before.
While there is a slight decrease in the
amount of fertilizers purchased said the
manager Of a leading company, 81 do not
think there has been any decrease in acre
age. My observation of a limited terri
tory is that the farmers are taking under
cultivation all the land that they possibly
can. Five-cent cotton seems to have lost
its terrors for the Southern farmer"
While the planters have bought large
ly," said well known manufacturer,
their purchases have been Of the very
cheapest grades of fertilizers, the grade
most largely purchased being that known
as acid phosphate. There has been very
little demand for the higher grades of
fertilizers such as superphosphate of lime.
While the Charleston manufacturers work
ed off a big stock of these goods at low
prices, / think there will be found to be
considerable shortage in the interior when
the railroads begin 10 foot up their totals
for the season"
All the manufacturers agree that at the
rates which have prevailed there is very
little profit In the business for them.