The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-01-31
HIGHER PRICES OF FERTILIZERS.
The Manager Of the Trust Makes Some
Explanations.

The following, credited to the Wash
ington Star of January 81, clipped from
The News and Courier of Wednesday.
1t is quite likely that it was printed in
beth these papers at the expense of the
fertilizer men, who are naturally anx-
ious to have their position favocably
understood by the farmers. Whether
all the alleged facts stated in the arti-
Gle are true, We are unable to say. It
is our own opinion that the confidence
with which the fertilizer factories are
naming higher prices is due at least 10
measure to the trust agreement among
them. The reader will draw his own
conclusions,
Now that the season for the ship
ment Of fertilizers has arrived, the
guano factories are on the eve Of the
busiest season of the year in that
branch Of business. The Virginia Car
olipa Chemical company's two facto-
ries here-the Navassa factory and the
Powers, Gibbes & Co., factory-are
prepared to ship an output of 55, 00O
tons this season, the proportion being
about two-thirls for the Nsvassa COM
pany and one third for the Powers,
Gibbes & Co., factory.
, For the past month or more the
Powers. Gibbes & Co., factory has been
thoroughly overhauled and put in first
class condition, so that now it is able
to handle an increased output. The
machinery has been put In such eondi-
tion that the full capacity ef the fac
tory can be utilized, aud the facilities
for handling the product have also been
increased. The Navassa factory is up
to its usual efficiency, and both facto-
ries are in the best condition to manu-
fac,ure aid handle goods promptly.
''The feature, however. which will
doubtless most concern the agricultural
interests, is the material advance in the
price Of fertilizers this season. With
the expansion Of prices generally on all
manufactures and products, the prices
of fertilizers will follow suit.
Mr.. W. H. Maloy, manager Of the
Virginia Carolina Chemical company
here, yesterday stated to a Star repre-
sentative that the price Of acid phos-
phate has advanced from 20 to 80 per
cent. over last years prices. This
means al increase of s. 25 to So 90 per
ton. He says the increase is owing to
the scarcity Of phosphate rock, and a
consequent increase Of 20 to 30 per
cent. in the plice Of rock, and also on
account Of an increase from Is to 20
per cent on the price Of pyrites and
birthstone, materials which enter into
the production Of acid goods, as sui
phuric acid is manufactured from these
materials. Ooe cause for the advance
on phosphate rock, he states, is the
uDpre6ta ableoess of former prices of
rock. Owing to low prices only one
company out Of FIVE engaged in devel-
oping the phosphate mines in Florida
veathered the storm. The others were
bankrupt in the business.
las for ammoniated fertilizers, Mr..
nalloy states that there has oeen an
advance in price of from s. to 81 50, or
20 to 80 per cent, due also to the ad-
vance in the price Of phosphate rock.
and an increase of the price of material
from which ammonia is derived. He
remarked that generally speaking, the
advance in prices Of fertilizers may be
due in part to the universal revival Of
business throughout the country.
''As matter OF interest, in this con-
nection it may be stated that potash
fertilizers have advanced 10 per cent /,
in price, the cost Of kainit being now
81 per ton more than last years price.
As for cotton seed meal, the price per
ton, has increased from 81 50 to s., ac-
cording to the distance from producing
and shipping points"