The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-01-09
FERTILIZER REPORT
6olE1GrTT1E or TAAlrHks ERE
 FARES sTATEKENT.
Interesting Analysis Gathered by Messrs. Barnes and Adams for the 1routgemery Agricul-
 tural Association.

John A. Banes and T. c. Adams. com mittee of the Montgomery Agricultural Association raised to investigate the mat ter of fertilizers have prepared the follow ing report which will be read with interest by farmers:
 .-rhe Montgomery Agricultural Associa- "Your committee appointed at the last meeting to tabulate and complete tne data gathered on the subject of fertiiizer beg to report as follows:
 .'In preparing table showing the per centages of plant food in various raw material and mixed goods 1t is impossinie to show all the various mixtures on tne market or to state a price that Is absoiute. The price is variable and we have only attempted to show the average percent ages of plant food in the raw materials some of which are not quoted or in stock in the Montgomery market. As to the ready mixed goods we have only quoted four as . basis of calculation or values of other mixtures.
 aAt the outset of our investigation we are confronted with the statement of the scientist that the essential elements or all plant food are ten in number. but only three of these need the special attention of the former. These ten elements anu the dismissal of seven of them from the farmers' consideration are; l. carbon; 2, hydrogen; B. oxygen; 1, calcium uime); 5, magnesium: C. iron; 2, surfui; s, nitro" gen; .. potassium; 10. phosphorus. 'sThe first of these, carbon. is dismissed with the statement 1t is present in the air as c gas and as such available to the plant through its leaves: and 3. hydrogen and oxygen together form water and in this form the plant takes 1t up chiefly by means of its roots; 4, and 2, cal- ciun (1ime). magnesium. iron and sui- phur, the chemists tell us are present nj all soils and in ample quantity for the plants need. In the case of calcium there is a deficiency in some soils for some plants and it is occasionally supplied as lime: s, 3 and 10 are the elemnts chiefly needed by the plant and most frequently rendered deficient in the soil by the faii- ure to observe that roattton of crops which will largely restore to the soil these clements taken from it by repeated cuiti- vation of the same crops.
 Tt is these three we purchase as fer tiiizer in various proportions in the many mixtures offered on the market.
 'As basis of calculation of the com- merciai value of fertilizers the Alabama State Chemist has valued them as fol- Iows:s
 "one pound of nitrogen. 15 cents.
 'One pound of phosphorie acid. cents,
 "One pound of potash, cents.
 There is some confusion in terms in agricultural literature by the the use of the word ammonia as a substitute for nitrogen .acid phosphate as a substitute for phosphorus and potash as a. substitute for potassium.
 Tt is not our purpose to attempt to explain this confusion, but as an aid to the investigating farmer the following tabel may be of service:
 Where per cent of amonia is given to find nitrogen, multiply by .s24.
 Where per cent of nitrogen is given to find amonia multiply by 121l.
 Nitrate of soda into nitrogen multiply by 16.4T.
 Rome phosphate into phOsphoric acid. multiply by .45S.
 "Muriate of potash into potash. multiply by .OSa2.
 Potash into murlate of potash multi ply by 1.ss.
 "suiphate of potash into potash null
 Potash into sulphate of potash, multi ply by l.S5.
 "in the following table where we have been unable to quote price with reasona, ble certainty, the goods are not readily
  obtainable in the Montgomery market. but the average per centage of plant food Is stated as information for future guidance when car load loas are pur- chased for home mixing. Each ship ment should. however. show its own guar anteed analysis.
 ''A popular complete mixed fertilizer ia the 8. 1.e6. 2 goods which contains 8 per cent phosphoric acid or'160 pounds to the ton; 1.e6 nitrogen e amonia) or 8 pounds to the ton; potash .or 40 pounds to the, ton. " .,rr, 1e This mixture si quoted on the market, at retail at about $20 per ton. While the analysis or cotton seed meal shows an appreciable value for the potash and phospohric acid it contains only creditine 1t with the 6.s0 per cent of nitrogen 1t contains we can make this same s.i, ,65. 2 goods at home by the use of the follow ing materials which at the prices above