Station Number.

GERMAN POTASH SALTS

Readily Soluble in Distilled Water.
HIGH-GRADE AND DOUBLE SULPHATES OF POTASH.

FROM WHOM RECEIVED.

THE EXAMINATION OF HOME MIXTURES AND SPECIAL

COMPOUNDS.

Home Mixtures.

Home mixing has been carried on with entire satisfaction by a large number of farmers for several years. The Station has encouraged their efforts as of value to the individuals themselves and an object lesson to their neighbors, since it renders them familiar with the kinds and forms of plant-food, teaches them to think of pounds of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash rather than tons of a particular phosphate, and in general unfolds the mystery which envelops the make up of fertilizers in the minds of many.

In the accompanying table are published the analyses, valuations and cost of home mixtures which were made up this year according to the following formulas, selected by the farmers themselves:

6819. Mixed by John B. Conover, Freehold. Consists of 200 pounds of nitrate of soda, 300 pounds of dried blood, 400 pounds of bone meal, 400 pounds dissolved bone black, 350 pounds of dissolved South Carolina rock and 350 pounds of muriate of potash.

6932. Mixed by W. J. Evans, Marlton. Consists of 200 pounds of nitrate of soda, 250 pounds of dried blood, 500 pounds of dissolved bone, 650 pounds of dissolved South Carolina rock and 400 pounds of muriate of potash.

6991. Mixed by Henry C. McLean, Red Bank. Consists of 100 pounds of nitrate of soda, 100 pounds of dried blood, 100 pounds of tankage, 562 pounds of dissolved South Carolina rock and 200 pounds of muriate of potash.

Home Mixtures and Special Compounds Furnishing Nitrogen, Phosphoric Acid and Potash.

1.57 2.24 3.81 3.48 3.06 2.97 2.87 8.90 9.50 6.03 4.50
0.28 1.84 2.12 2.05 4.10 1.37 5.45 10.92] 9.00 5.47 4.00
1.86 1.86 2.46 4.16 4.43 7.26 15.85 10.00 8.59

*Guarantee calculated. + Ingredients were not analysed or guaranteed.

7043. Mixed by Tobias McConnell, Smith's Landing. Consists of 187 pounds of dried and ground fish, 94 pounds of ground bone and 75 pounds of muriate of potash.

7111. Mixed by I. W. Nicholson, Camden. Consists of 200 pounds of nitrate of soda, 200 pounds of sulphate of ammonia, 800 pounds of dissolved bone black, 600 pounds of dissolved South Carolina rock and 200 pounds of muriate of potash.

7279. Mixed by Dayton N. Warbasse, Huntsburg. Consists of 274 pounds of nitrate of soda, 206 pounds of dried blood, 760 pounds of dissolved bone black and 760 pounds of muriate of potash.

7468. Mixed by 8. V. Bray, Holmdel. Consists of 1,600 pounds of dissolved bone and tankage and 400 pounds of muriate of potash.

An examination of the analyses shows that the mixtures were, on the whole, of the composition intended. The home mixing of fertilizers presents the intimately-related advantages of a definite knowledge of the kind and form of plant-food contained, and the possibility of suiting the formula to the particular needs of the soil and crop. The average estimated valuation is $28.34, while the average cost is $26.18, indicating a saving on the part of the consumer not only of the difference, $2.16, but also of the additional expenses involved, which would have been paid if the average commercial mixture had been purchased.

Special Mixtures.

The two samples 6794 and 6795, whose analyses are in the same table as the home mixtures, are mixtures specially prepared by the Moro Phillips Chemical Co. for the Gloucester County Grange, and indicate what can be secured from the regular manufacturers in carload lots for cash. These were bought mixed and under guarantee, and the prices given include the freight. Sample No. 7484 is a mixture of 800 pounds of ground bone, 800 pounds of dissolved bone and 400 pounds of muriate of potash. It was prepared to order for Mr. Joseph Hagaman, Oakdale, by The Taylor Provision Co. through a local dealer. The price, therefore, includes the expenses of its sale.

A large and growing number of dealers also are buying fertilizers mixed to order by the larger manufacturers, which they sell under their own name in their own locality. The analyses of these are

published with the regular commercial brands. The majority of them are sold quite as cheap as the regular brands and yield the dealers a fair profit. This profit can be secured directly by the farmers themselves by co-operation and cash purchases whereby carload rates may be secured.

This work of the Experiment Station teaches the very important lesson that a pound of any one of the constituents in its original form is practically uniform in price to all manufacturers, and the subsequent variations in price are due to conditions that occur after leaving the hands of the manufacturer and before reaching the consumer, and for which the consumer is largely responsible. If the latter knows what he wants, buys what he needs and pays cash, he will find that the cost of plant-food will be considerably reduced, and that too without any detriment to the manufacturer. Farmers must remember that—

1. Fully one-fourth of the cost of the average commercial mixture goes to pay for mixing, bagging, credit and commissions.

2. That this amount may be reduced very materially by the use of business-like methods of purchase.

4.

THE EXAMINATION AND VALUATION OF MANUFACTURED BRANDS AND SUNDRY MATERIALS.

On the following pages are reported the analyses of:

331 samples of Complete Fertilizers,

The main object of this work is to determine by chemical analysis whether the actual composition of each of these various manufactured products corresponds with its guaranteed composition, as required by law. By a comparison of the two it is shown whether the manufacturer fulfills his claims and how far the guarantee given is a guide as to the amounts of plant-food actually delivered to the consumer. In addition, the application of the Station's schedule of values, which has been adopted for the various kinds and forms of fertilizer constituents