Home Mixed Fertilizer

For several years the Ohio station has been using a mixture of equal parts of taukage and acid phosphate, witb a email addition of muriate of potash (200 potinds to the ton), with most satisfactory results, but in order to make a more direct comparison of this mixture ■with factory mixtures the station began a year ago a comparativo experiment in which f onr brands of factory mixed fertilizers, bought direct from four oL the oldest fertilizer manufacturiug firms in the state, are being used side by side with four home mixtures, made from the materials named, in such a way as to give approximately equal percentages of ammonia, total and available phosphoric acid aud potash in the home mixtures to those claimedin the factory mixed brands. The general outcome of this test to date is that home mixtures of similar chemical composition, made from the materials named, have given an equal increase of erop when used on corn with standard brands of factory mixed fertilizers, and at a rednetion of more than 40 per cent in cost. Acid phosphate is the basis of the phosphoric acid in practically all factory mixed fertilizers. It is a fossil bone, fouud in South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee, which is ground to a fine powder and mixed with sulphuric acid in order to make its phosphoric acid more easily solnble. The northern markets are supplied chiefly from Baltimore, where it may be bought at prices ranging from $10 per ton for single sack lots down to $7.50 per ton in carloads in bulk for a grade analyzing 14 per cent soluble phosphoric acid. In the experimenta made at the Ohio experiment station a pound of available phosphoric acid in acid phosphate has apparently been as effective as a pound of phosphoric acid in bone. Tankage is made at all the great slaughter houses. It contains both phosphorio acid and amraonia and is . ble in quality. DifEerent grades are classed as 6 and 35, 7 and 30, 8 and 20, 9 and 20, etc., meaning tbat they ' tain 6 per cent ammonia and 35 per cent bone phosphate or 7 per cent , monia and 30 per cent bone phosphate, I etc, the term bone phosphate meaning that combiuation of phosphoric acid and lime which is found in bone and of ' which about 46 per cent is phosphoric acid. The lower grades shade off below into raw bone, which might be called a 5 and 50 tankage, aud above into dried blood, which contains 10 to 14 per cent ammonia with 2 or 3 per cent or only a trace of phosphoric acid. A 7 and 30 tankage has been sold in Cleveland for several years at the uniform priceof 17 per ton in single sacks or carloads. The latest qnotations in Chicago range f rom S12.50 per ton for 6 and 35 tankage up to $15.50 for 9 and 20 tankage, this being the standard grade. Muríate of potash is a product of the Stassfurt mines in Germany, and its sale is controlled by a Germán syndicate. It may be bought in New York or Cleveland at about 2 to 2J cents per pomid. Both acid phosphate and tankage are fine, dry meals, in perfect conditiou to be used in the fertilizer drill, and mixing them does not alter their condition. Muríate of potash resembles conmion salt in appearance, except that it is usually somewhat yellowish in color. In its commercial condition it is about half actual potash.