The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-06-14
FALL FERTILIZER PRICES
SHOULD BE 80 p. G.. LOWER
Department of Agriculture's Under
standing With Manufacturers Affects
Northern States--Southern Prices
Not Yet Announced.

As the result of the department Of ag.
rieultures conferences and eommunica
tions with individual manufacturers of
fertilizers, without the department hav-
ing fixed any prices, it is now in posi-
ton to announce that the farmers of the
country should obtain their mixed ferti-
lizers for the fall season of 1919 at an
average price of about 80 per cent lower
than the prices which prevailed for the
spring season just passed. This state
ment applies to the territc~y north of
Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia and West
Virginia, but including the Ohio river
counties of West Virginia Fertilizer
prices for the southern states have not
yet been put out Statements concern
ing other territory win be issued as soon
as prices are made,
The different companies in some in
stances will put out goods at slightly
varying prices. These prices are to deal
ers and to farmers ordering 30-ton lots
and are based upon delivery in 1877
pound bags. If in 200-pound bags, rs
cents per ton should be deducted in
l25-pound bags IS cents per ton, and in
l00.pound bags so cents per ton should
be added. These prices are subject to a
discount Of FIVE per cent if paid in cash
on Dee |, and further discount of one.
half Of one per cent for each month in
advance of that date. These are maxi
mum prices, and competition in the
trade may make prices lower.
The fertilizer trade conditions provide
that these /. o. b. rates shall apply to
| Na,,y 1orsoy nnfamara Martio "a and
approximately the eastern half of Penn
sylvania. In the middle western terri
tory, including New York, western Penn
| sylvania and the Ohio counties Of West
| Virginia and west to the western Mis-.
souri, and Iowa boundary lines, 1918 per
ton viii be added for freight to any
railroad delivery point; to Long Island
delivery points $3.50 per ton viii be
added; and to New England $3.50 will
be added to rail, water, or trolley deliv-
cry points. In addition to the prices
quoted to New England points, there
viii be added SO per ton for shipments
in less than carload lots, from which a
deduction is made of 81 per ton If a
carload is ordered; So per ton in the
event Of two carloads and up to 80 tons /;
$3.50 for 100 to 1919 tons; and 81 for 200
tons and over.
1t is understood, Of course, that to
farmers ordering less than 30ton lots
there must also be added to these prices
fair profit to the dealer, which usually
amounts TO about So per ton.
| The purpose of the department in issu.
ing this statement is three fold; First,
to reflect the action of the department in
dealing with the fertilizer trade under
the terms of the food control act, APP.
proved Aug. TO- 1917, and the presidents
regulations dated Feb. 25, 1918. Second,
to furnish to dealers and to farmers reli-
able information as to the maximum
prices at which they may obtain their
fertilizer supplies. Third, to prevent, as
far as possible, the wide variations in
prices paid by farmers to dealers for fer
tilizers during the spring.
| The matter of supply and prices of
unmixed fertilizer material available to
farmers for direct application to the soil
or for home mixing, such as nitrate of
soda, sulphate of ammonia, ammonia, the
organic ammoniates, acid phosphate and
potash salts, is still under investigation
by the department. With the exception
Of acid phosphate, none of these stand
ard materials are produced by the fer
tilizer manufacturers, although some of
the ammoniates are produced by com
panies Of which the fertilizer companies
are subsidiaries As these materials con-
stitute on the average about two thirds
of the cost of mixed fertilizers, and as
much Of this material is not produced
by the fertilizer manufacturers, il is an
important subject for investigation by
the department, both as influencing the
price of mixed goods and as material
which the farmer may wish to purchase
direct. 1t is a difficult subject Of investi-
CATION, because 1t is dependent upon so
many industries in which it is a by
product, and is influenced by so many
| factors.
The department is also giving consid.
Grafton to the differential in delivery
rates in different parts of the country,
which have prevailed in the fertilizer
trade for some years.
I