.:ipi :, mm iiiiiiiiiiillliliiiii 4mP ml ^iiilr ■^^^^B :il?i?il^ !i mmw li - ; : m HUJJ jji 1 i ' ■ #1 1 iHli Ik- 1 fF IK :li)iili « iw !iii Experiment Station Library. Class (33^.73 Number v'.r.S^., Volume ■^ Source Received >^-^ Cost \rD..o... Accession No. \^b4 O l"|l X, ..>. , Bulletin 150 December, 1910 NEW HAMPSHIRE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY , Results of the Fertilizer Inspection For 1910 MADE FOR THE STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE BY B. E. CURRY AND T. O. SMITH NEW HAMPSHIKE t;OLLE(;K OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ART8 DURHAM. N. H. NEW HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND THE MECHANIC ARTS. NEW HAMPSHIRE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION DURHAM. N. H. BOARD OF CONTROL. Hon. JOHN G. TALLANT, Chairman, Pembroke Hon. warren BROWN, Hampton Falls Hon. N. J. BACHELDER, A. M., M. !S., East Andover Hon. E. H. WASON, B. S., Nashua Pkes. WILLIAM D. GIBBS, D. Sc, ex officio, Durham THE STATION STAFF J. C. KENDALL, B. S., Director. FREDERICK W. TAYLOR, B. Sc. (Agr.), Agronomist. CHARLES BROOKS, Ph. D., Botanist. FRED RASMUSSEN, B. S. A., Dairijnian. B. S. PICKETT, M. S., Horticulturist. B. E. CURRY, A. B., Chemist. T. R. ARKELL, B. S. A., Animal Husbandman. W. C. O'KANE, M. S., Entomologist. CHARLES W. STONE, A. M., Farmer and Vice-Director. W. H. WOLFF, M. S., Assistant Horticulturist. DAVID LUMSDEN, Assistant in Floriculture. W. L. SLATE, Jr., B. S. (Agr.), Assistant in Agronomy. T. 0. SMITH, A. B., Assistant Chemist. J. J. GARDNER, B. S., Assistant in Olericulture. CAROLINE A. BLACK, A. iM., Assistant Botanist. 0. L. ECKMAN, Assistant Animal Husbandman. MIRIAM L. HOBBS, Assistant Bookkeeper. MABEL H. MEHAFFEY, Stenographer. M. GENEVIEVE BURT, Bookkeeper. MARY L. BURNHAM, Stenographer. The bulletins of the Experiment Station are published at irregular intervals, and are sent free to all residents of New Hampshire requesting them. THE INSPECTION OF FERTILIZERS FOR 1910 The samples of fertilizer for the 1910 inspection were collected under the direction of the State Board of Agri- culture and turned over to the Experiment Station for analysis. Samples from one hundred and thirty-eight brands of chemicals and mixed fertilizers have been re- ported. The same number of brands were offered for sale in 1910. Numerous inquiries are received at the Experiment Station concerning the merits of individual brands of fertilizers, as well as comparative values of different brands. An investigation of the prices at which the various brands of fertilizers are retailed shows that the careful buyer has a great advantage over the less careful. Three brands of fertilizer having practically the same guaranteed analyses were offered for sale at the rate of .tl.40, $1.50 and $1.70 per hundred pounds, or $28, $30 and $34 per ton respectively. The lower price no doubt represented a fair profit to the manufacturer and dealer. Fifty cents would cover the difference in the calculated values for a ton of these fertilizers. As a basis for making a comparative study of different brands of fertilizers, the following facts are useful : In 1910 the following retail prices were made : Nitrate Soda, 15% Nitrogen, $2.50 per hundred pounds. Muriate of Potash, 50% Potash, 2.10 " " " Acid Phosphate, 14% Available, .80 " " " At this rate the nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid could be had for 16.6 cents, 4.2 cents and 5.7 cents per pound respectively. It must be remembei'ed tliat these figures represent the cost in the unmixed chemicals. 4 N. H. AGK. EXPEEIMENT STATION [Bulletin 150 When these prices or figures are applied to the ready- mixed fertilizers it will be found that the value will rep- resent about 60% of the usual selling price. In other words, the cost of the potash, phosphoric acid and nitro- gen has been increased about 40% by the mixing process. Of the brands of fertilizers collected in li)1(). tlio rdail selling price of 94 brands of complete mixed fertilizers were obtained. The price and average guaranteed per- centage of nitrogen, available phosphoric acid and potash were calculated with the following results : Nitrogen, 2.36%, available phosphoric acid, 6.83%, potash, 5.07%; average selling price, $1.60 per hundred pounds. The consumer might have obtained the same amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash in the unmixed condition for 93 cents. Stated otherwise, the average consumer who buys un- mixed goods gets as much in the unmixed condition for 93 cents as the consumer of ready-mixed goods gets for $1.60. These figures represent averages. There are instances where fertilizers are offered for sale at more than double the retail cost of the chemicals in the unmixed condition. Some of the high-grade mixtures were offered for sale at almost double the retail cost of the chemicals they contained. These, in some instances, are mechanical mixtures of nitrate of soda, acid phosphate and muriate or sulfate of potash. Heretofore it has been pointed out in these reports that the economical consumer would buy the high-grade mix- tures; unless much care is exercised at the present time the consumer will pay more for the high-grade mixtures than they are worth when compared with other mixtures. In other words, it is for the consumer to scrutinize the guarantee tags carefully in connection with the i)ri('e. The brands of fertilizers inspected for 1910 show no December, 1910.] fertilizers. g great variations from the guaranteed analysis. It is evi- dent that tlie manufacturers intend to have the guaranteed analysis represent the quality of the goods offered for sale. Analytical assistance has been rendered by Messrs. J. E. Robinson and C. H. Robinson in the preparation of this report. N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 150 0\ -a u c c o £ <3 to .« "5 u E E c o E ^3 •paaiuBJBno P4 88 gu^ggggSSSSSSSS? 888 858 888 •punoji ■ pool - 111! J nil O •punoj^ < a o « o a •9iqniosui S OS > < o o S o ■p991 •punoj •paiJ8A9H •aiqnios •paai -ui3iBno ■pnnoj[ •oiubSjo •01UB2JOUI cc ^: i~ M o ^ ?i CJ ct u- d r- r: ci cc ^ r- ci : O CC r- 1^ C-t CC >C 888S ?q £ y & « cc CI ^ p ^ M ci CO c ec ^ -Hcicodcir-;tccOTri>coc-i«ccor- gggogoggggoggggggggoggcggg .g d CO c: -w I- C-. c •.;; cv I- o ~ c. r. c". cr. =-. d d i^ c. c x c-. i^ i^ . ci SS8 1— 1 o o t^ CI CO lO ci i^ T-H t^ lO p cj i.t If? CI CI o CI CI LfT o c c: -r 1-^ i^ i;^- O S O OC CI -f 'i C-. CO O CI at CC CC TT CO p CC t-- CO I-: p QC CC d r- 1-; cc d co' d t-^ d d d d d d ci d d d •-' f' d d ^ r-^ d d x d d d ci t ^■-1-4 0 f— 1 1— < O lO O ci O iC O »C O O »-0 irt i-t l^ l^ C i-O t^ p O O lO iC ».0 i-O Cl t^ o ^ c iS d o tc p C! i^. p LO 1.0 CI TT -r p p x is co i-; ci r-; co p p •-: p (Nj^ ^^^^,_; rHi-Hr-'cicicicicici cirHcirn rHCicicii-ir-it^CI 1.75 2.97 1.75 8888 88888 888888 888888 88888 :S8.8S o: c-i oc lo o X x" iC X cc ~ x' x" x' x* x x x' x <^ x x' t^ x* -^ ^ . ^ x' x* x' • t-^ ci X o «' t> x' lO t-^ t~ d CC 00 x' X cc x' oc d d d x' d x' x' x ic -- .-;i.O .-. x' x d ^^mmmmmsmmm^mmh T— 1 8SSSgiSgS.8£;s^g.S:Sgg88gfi§£.q8.?i'-? : CJCOCOTI'COr-lrlCCOCICICIClrHCICIClr-ldCOOClTPCI^Cl . 3.29 .62 2.06 CCr-ci Sgip8S^!cS^£^^xS5^SS558qg^S^£t^?!?^ i-HrHi-l r-ii-H i-Hi-l t— (.-(r-iCO t-'i-I .77 .30 1.01 2.26 .76 1.45 . , CO ^ . : i-So : : :-2'2 : • • M « ■ '.S '^ w ■ :«|£^ * <» 0) © © • t. £; iH M £ a 3 Pi s 3 c c « e 2 « S « rt »^ a* Qj 03 o) Q o Qj a> Cl ■iJ'E'Ea.'o. |aaes ° O o o o aS'-' •« 5 t.— « o ^ t- OWc5 S^ >. >, ',^ >> >^ >\ >■• r*" iS S CO S 5 £ w rt o CO 4, 01 " C O 00 « ^« Q O i' $■ 0)'."' y^ c9 CO « S m ^ ^ ^, « 03 MpqWOO p. • • M • • O • -A ■ -f^ ■ • '-' ti ■ ■ axi . .02 § • a o '.•CM g 2 » u o 3 g 0, c -I Pm m <; >5 Ph ^ 'O '^ t'J 05 cfl = C c 'm '^. 't. - rt c3 0^ oj oj ■- c p-e a^» g P — Ifl C c3 tfJ '^- 7^ T; "bi: c a G; c CD dj c (i^ep^ m ec -. ouoO h^ I- I- ^ CQ tf CO ^ . . . P-rtf K M 01 C cs ea es v: 4^ 4-> -M c/i ce c3 A Ct O; 0^ Ol Ih ^. Im »H December, 1910.] FERTILIZERS. 1 :SSS :SSS8S : ^t CI = t; -r ssssssssss ^nyid A -r -.2 ^ 1- ^' SS8SSS.88S888 c^i ri X ci ri -ri o 1- o o o ci 10.00 10.00 10.00 63 . iC O ?< T .-1 . rs « 6) S X ■c o o o ri o n iQ 0-. 35 l~; M -r 5 l~ C^ 1-; -.i C-1 1~; i-!e-• CO C 1 Cl T I .-1 i-H rH C) >-' Cl 8 . X~-O3C3C-.rXXCC-X-TXXX00X 8S8S888SS888 X x t^ ci « «■ d c TT -.£ 'j; d 888 X i-d . o =■. l^ ^. X O C. 1^ =i I~ 1~ X X X X X -r o lO o o o 1^ o -T ^ lO c-i c-J r; Lt -r* w "T" c^ o I-. ci »— ' ^^ d X ».t X X X ^ I— -r Lt d .— x'x l- .C^^i-iI-lr-HtC.-"^ i:.?:i::!dS8g5 ' 1-^ ci i-I ci o: cii-i r 0-. c-i "C o o o o X TT -Xi ■;: c) -r X -r •.; -r ?. 31 M o u5 -^r o oi i-H -^ i-H rH r- c-i d *-• ci »-< CJ goo d-ici . CI O O »C O CI iC O »C O C^ O O O O iC • -^^ ?. tC CI CI X O -^ 1-; L'r CC 1^ >-; X -T^ CO ! t-^ t-^ ir: i-^ i~ d x d x >.'; d d t-' d d d lOOOOOOiCClOOOO 1-; r- .-. X CI It CC -^ iC M 1-^ r- d 1-^ 1-^ d t-^ d d 1-^ d d d r^ o ci lO iC CO I^ >C CI Ci 3i -^ 1^ C5 ^ y3 CI "T uc X cj cj 3"- -t; c» i-^ r-t x' ci rH ' d d -rr ci d 005 3S3 I— di-< . rl Cl Cl Cl i-c CJ O CI CI »H .— CI X CI iH I-* CO CO -^ CI CO ■ CO -T 3-. X O • -.S 3-. CI >— to gco .^TQCi-r-r-Ti^x t^ . o X 1- ti i^ !i r- 1.0 C; CO CJ CO 31 X rr .-; r.; .-; O ' i-I «" i-< ' ' ci CI d I—" ci es o Ph 0) c — a c S ^ _ '- - ■3 i: = .'' i; h a 5-a-- '? c £ c • SOS; — ' a 3 = ^ M CO to ® t) "t. "►. 'l. ' — ^ -~ z. '- :^ o o — c5 es ca a S .a K »-i (:. = = =£ 3 o « r* = C0.2.S ^ ^ ;x to CO c'ccdiT: 1.S 3 3 4. i i(L,(7Crp:3pj o to C. O 0, O 3 P u 2 '^ u " t, Ph!/;> to CO to 13 03 c: 0; o; a> .C3 C CO o .£3 Pm c o O 3 o 3 o c a a c 33 2^ = 1- 3 0=^ ^> Bl t^-E S-S.2 — a/.-s O O Oi H Bi Id ptl a o e3 .a 2 ^ f^-d s 3 . o bE O cS o C. CS CO *^ n O .SB V ►; oj 3 \ CO to ''^ ® ^ » . 3 B 3 .i o o tPn.' p c3t3 cS 3 We3 o ^ to 'r CO ffi a> s * 2 a.S .- Pm 5 4- c i- „ M tu u, ^co CO co^to CO to'C'O'C'C'C to "t- 'l. 'l- l- "t. "t. 'C u C C u " — B o « H a o < b. b. a P5« is is o o npq fe o o o c o .s ♦* •** PC OS CO X.C.3 l* O tj o fe £ ° = o CCCQKPQ (U a o B . 3 * £ c a B Bcn c « M N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 150 V 3 •5 c 6 OS c C a -a t V. u ti! u E E c o 6 •po.tjutuHu;) O •piino_j •paa; lUllO^.I < o X ■9[fin[osui ■paoj -uujmii) •punoj ■p91J9Aaji •aiqnios o •paaj -inuBno ■punoj oiubSjo •oiubSjoui y. m a y. b < o H U [^ o u o o ; c L-: c 5 5 5 5 . ,75, • -^ ci o o »c cc re I f-« o >f; o X r: 1 I-. l~ 1^ TT M .•-> O O »0 O I^ r: = 1^ X o C: iC C^ ;■' cc 8SSgg_8.SS :g l-^ C". ci -.C si t^ ^J x' I ci t^ =-. l~ X =v I ~ :•- — i» C-. X 3-. o . — I O >C uO i^ O O '-O O • C4 C^ tS 1^ ^ CO S CC C^l • T*J ej oi r-i c4 .-< rH .-< -3^ ; t-i O ul O O O O OI ift Oj p t-< ,-<' •-< rH ci pptcpppoS 'S i"; x' x' o x' i>^ x r-^ ; x' So - QQ :c x' : 1^ x' . X C-. 1^ i£ iC ^ -.s X =1 .^Sr-C'lCr-'rrO^Pp . . 0) - • . ^..2 « 2 . a>.— ea a :=:^i= : :-2 : ."-s s ®ai 2 5? ■ (5 =s a> oj "ojCm ■ & .— t- w ' * *j • « g a X • 0) o • « . (V C3 «.§"•«."' '^00000^,2730 « .i! .: CJ ^ Q> in (fi vi fi xfi Cfl (A CA CA QQ WWWHW O Oi & O K SSS8S rJ o cc t^ ^? ?i O rt 1^ cc c r. y, X X 4.78 7.00 9.47 4.85 8.(15 G.OO 7.(55 0..55 Sggpp 2cocig'x i= X :£ l>: x' j-j X X" l-; x' X »0 01 "iO CO 0 'C lO i- 3; ^ « X ^ •# -. ■^ oi cc t' c-i Ti< ic r-. ^ 0 0 01 01 rt T. p p r-' CO ^' oi oi r: '5 o -S i^ •1- iC 0 0) 0 0 0 ■ p pir: X oj -1-2 '.-T-^ '"-•: oi oil-' S 0 ij 0 '0 0 00000 ~: '-"-:"': ^ 04 -a; CO i^ F- rr iC rl<' UO •.-i ci o" O "O 1^ • 10 CO t- l^ l^ l-l 0 Q • i-O oj -r Ti; -^_ X x_ 0 1 r-' rH oi oi oi 1-H ' 10 s ss?.sg CO oi CO -i> oi . ic CO C-. in ; p o5 OI p ! l-< l-H CO r-l • -i 01 01 i^i-o -r i~ • -r CO 01 -r c? p c^ ! r4 ,-i oi oi oi oi 3 1;; 31 t- r- ^ O CO OI OI X ic i-H ^ 1-; X c^ ^ t>. ^ ^n cooicoco'i-I 'oir-ico'.-< :S^'5,3SS.S : 04 X '.5 t^ r^ CO r-l 1-; p CO CO O 04 r-f oi oi iH :=ss« O a ah^ - .— ^ ^ o -■Sc^2| — a o o, I-' cS^CLiCC tfi w CO M w p (l M (m b OI o O' O' 0) w M f/i X CO .Jh^^h5iJ December, 1910.] FEETILIZEKS. 888 :8SS CI CO ^ • "^ ^ 2 ■N =5 "< • C ^ S I- 3: T ■ ^i 1-: =; !S^ 88 8S8 :S§8 d i-^ ■ tec 3C i~ . ^ ■ o •O :8 :8gS88 :8 8888 :S| 13 iciod,.:^ :« "^a'-^S •.'■•3 .1(5 . C^ lO « o ri CI I-'"-' CC O C- . X o o CO CI CO . O O r-* CO CI : r^ x' CO : « =c -j; o . o o •-' 5 '-2 • CI — ^ •- ^ 1 1-* d ic 1^ d :r. o CI "T »c Lt ^ cc S .': S TT o i- i~ d •]■ t-^ -r r- ''^ X o ~ . CC I^ o it Ji C-. . CI X CO ci ci CI '. d ci .-1 a -.g : :8°^".x. ; : 71 I 1* CC -T "^ T >C r— T • *; f^. *-. ■^ o»c ! -^ »c *«* :f? : :5SSl^i^ ! i : Tji : CI ^ or CI O • CO •- jr; 3 !0 X. • f-; »~ ^! dd : :r4cir-ci-H . . 4.; Lt X ■ i 5, 2.' r-^i-^ci l<-'-'ci . ir* ^. CO tc ^ • T ^! '"^ "^ "'• ! ^ ci <-- ■— ■— 00 = 20550 iC cue O lO o o T— ci X* ci CO ic o CO CI ci --c I- Cl X -T Cl CI ~: 1-; 00 p-i ci X '- CO -^ T X ^ ■--: i-o i~ -- -r O O -T X. •— . -T 1-. r-^cir-< COCICI O o ■A < W l. b fe •&< . f^ C I, O O • « ■ W J O O OS . o CO Qj do « to «B l« 52; *- C -XT . i, - ^ = §='-"- Si « c c c - .5 -5 k ^ f^ — ^ '— > *"• r '? ^ I ^ "? t «S o 'Sod, ^- I- — .- = 3 .:i: 5 a ^ r a ieo . . t. V..S • • • • 0- 0.1 .— . . • • '■ -'f^'t ■ ■ • ■ . . c o S • • : :55=^ : ^ • : : : c o 2 : i • • -'Ss^ : 2 : ■ ■ I- ■= ° .-5 . : :c(?e^ .§• . ... . T3 O • 1*. > -*• r- r- a • • a. c' 'V ? ~ •- °^i:iisf £ - c,< n • • axi <= J: c8 5 t. »- 1- >- t- o a « a « "X t« c« ^ ^ ^ .0 •5 g-g 3 3 3 3 XooKKJns 10 N. H. AGK. EXPERIMENT STATION [BuUetin 150 ,8888 :S8SSSS H .W _W M M M W M M 05 „, W ^ « (s fc ^ & ^ ^ 'g 'g 'g 'g S -fe la o n 3 o •illii 'lili'iHti^iti'i mmmm Iniiiifjliillili- " mm^:- iliffililiiifi!!; ■ 'a m mimmm «