CONN 
 
 S 
 
 43 
 
 .E22 
 
 no.106 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
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 O. E. S. LIBRARV. OOP. a. 
 
 THE 
 
 Connecticut Agricultural Exueriment Station, 
 
 NEW HAVEN, CONN. 
 BULLETIN No. 106. 
 
 MARCH. 1891. 
 
 The Bulletins and Reports of this Station are mailed free to 
 every citizen of Connecticut who applies for them seasonably. 
 
 OOITEKTS 
 
 The Babcock Method of Determining Fat in Milk and Cream for the 
 
 Use of Creameries 2 
 
 I. Determination in Milk 2 
 
 Details of the Method. ... 2 
 
 Rapidity 3 
 
 Cost of Test 3 
 
 Accuracy 4 
 
 Sampling 4 
 
 Use in Creameries. 6 
 
 II. Determination in Cream 9 
 
 Analyses of Butter from Exhibit at the Dairymen's Meeting 9 
 
 Fertilizers 11 
 
 Duties of Dealers 11 
 
 Gratuitous Analyses 12 
 
 Trade Values for 1891 12 
 
 Valuation of Mixed Fertilizers 13 
 
2 
 
 THE BABCOCK METHOD OF DETERMINING FAT 
 
 IN MILK AND CREAM FOR THE USE 
 
 OF CREAMERIES. 
 
 The object of this Bulletin is to call the attention of those con- 
 cerned to the fact that there are now rapid, practicable and 
 accurate methods of finding the per cent, of fat in cream and 
 milk which are suited to the needs of creameries. 
 
 By their use it is possible to pay for milk or cream by the only 
 fair method, i. e., by the actual quantity of fat in them, the raw 
 material which the creamery manufactures. 
 
 There are several methods of determining fat which are both 
 rapid and accurate. All of them we have tested more or less, 
 but our experience leads us to regard the Babcock Method as the 
 most desirable being as rapid and as accurate as any and sur- 
 passing all others in simplicity. It should be said, however, that 
 others who have had as much experience as ourselves prefer the 
 so-called Beimling Method. There is no question that the choice 
 at present lies between these two methods. 
 
 Determination of Fat in Milk. 
 
 Details of Making the Determination. — The principle of the 
 Babcock Method is this : to a carefully measured quantity of the 
 milk in a flask provided with a narrow accurately graduated 
 neck, made for the purpose, is added a definite quantity of strong 
 oil of vitriol which dissolves all the solid matters of the milk 
 except the fat. The flasks thus charged, are rapidly whirled in 
 a centrifugal apparatus by which all the fat is brought to the 
 surface of the mixture in a few minutes. Hot water is then 
 added to raise this layer of melted fat into the graduated neck of 
 the flask. The length of the fat layer, as read off on the gradu- 
 ation, gives at once the per cent, of fat. Full particulars regarding- 
 the manipulation are provided with the machine. 
 
 A considerable number of creamery men and dairy men have 
 availed themselves of the invitation given in our last Bulletin to 
 visit the Station and see the method in operation and we believe 
 it will pay for any in the State who think of getting this Tester 
 to see it here and learn some particulars of manipulation that can 
 be better appreciated by seeing than by reading of them. 
 
 The apparatus is sold by Messrs. Cornish, Curtis & Greene, Ft. 
 Atkinson, Wis. 
 
Rapidity of the Test. — This depends largely on the skill and 
 activity of the operator. In the Station laboratory at the time 
 of this writing, a person skilled in handling such apparatus, hut 
 who has worked with this method only a few times has made 
 determinations of fat in 40 samples of milk in an hour and forty- 
 eight minutes. 
 
 This included time spent in mixing the milk in the sample 
 bottles, measuring both milk, acid and fat, labelling and cleaning 
 all the flasks and apparatus used, recording the results, and 
 leaving every thing in perfect order for the next use ; in short 
 every thing involved in any way with the operation. This is 
 more than twice as rapid work as we were able to do at first and 
 is made possible simply by having the apparatus conveniently 
 arranged for the work. 
 
 Cost of the Test. 
 The price list of Messrs. Cornish, Curtis & Greene is as follows: 
 
 Sizes and Prices. 
 
 4-bottle Tester $10.00 
 
 6-bottle Tester 12.00 
 
 8-bottle Tester 14.00 
 
 10-bottle Tester 16.00 
 
 15-bottle Tester 18.00 
 
 20-bottle Tester 21.00 
 
 30-bottle Tester 24.00 
 
 25-bottle Power Machine 38.00 
 
 35-bottle Power Machine 43.00 
 
 50-bottle Power Machine 50.00 
 
 Each machine has its full complement of bottles with pipettes, acid 
 measure and acid sufficient for 50 to 100 tests, when shipped, for which 
 no charge is made. We sell at list price. 
 
 Boxing, 50 cents. 
 
 Extras. 
 
 Pipettes each, $0.50 
 
 Acid Measure " .50 
 
 Test Bottles - .dozen, 5.00 
 
 Acid for 110 Tests, in glass .60 
 
 For machines or further information write the sole manufacturers. 
 
 If desired this Station will test for purchasers within the State 
 the accuracy of the graduation on the test bottles furnished with 
 the machine. 
 
Accuracy of the method. — The accuracy of this method of 
 determining the quantity of butter-fat in whole milk has been 
 fully tested at several stations and is settled beyond dispute. 
 
 Our own tests have given the following results. The average 
 difference between the quantity of fat shown by this method 
 and that shown by the standard method used in chemical labora- 
 tories, was less than one one-hundredth of one per cent, in 32 
 comparative tests. The greatest difference in any single case 
 was .18 per cent. In six cases the difference exceeded .10 per 
 cent, and in 18 cases it was .05 or less. 
 
 In 1*7 cases the standard method gave a lower result than the 
 Babcock method, in 15 cases a higher result. 
 
 That is, on the average, where ioo pounds of butter-fat were actually 
 present, the Babcock test showed 99i a a o pounds. 
 
 The widest discrepancy in any single case was xt a - pound or about 
 three ounces of fat in ioo pounds. 
 
 In the majority of cases the discrepancy was f of an ounce or less in 
 ioo pounds of fat. 
 
 Accuracy of sampling indispensible. — To get a perfectly fair 
 sample of each patron's milk is the most critical thing of all. As 
 soon and as often as milk stands at rest, its constituents begin to 
 separate, the cream rising to the surface. The contents of a 
 forty quart can may be thoroughly mixed with a long handled 
 dipper if time and pains are taken to do it, but it will require 
 more time than one who has not tried it, would suppose to 
 thoroughly mix the whole so that different samples from the 
 same can will show the same quantity of fat when tested. 
 
 For sampling large quantities of milk, the Vermont Station, 
 Bulletin No. 21, recommends a sampling tube. This is simply 
 a piece of brass tube of suitable length and an inch in diameter, 
 having an iron wire running through it, centered by a wire loop 
 within the tube near each end. One end of this wire is bent to 
 form a handle, the other bears a disc of sheet iron with a rubber 
 packing over it. The tube is passed vertically downwards in the 
 milk, the disc being kept away from the tube allowing it to fill 
 as it goes down. Then the wire ;s drawn up, thus closing the 
 bottom of the tube, and the tube is withdrawn, bringing with it 
 a core or section of milk, which should represent accurately the 
 whole quantity of milk. 
 
 Frequency of sampling and of analysis. — In the bulletin 
 already quoted, Prof* Cooke recommends analyzing the samples 
 
5 
 
 once a week, but sampling the milk of each patron, three or more 
 days in each week. One way in which this may be done, he 
 describes as follows: — 
 
 Method of Sampling Recommended. 
 
 Have a pint glass fruit cau of the lightning jar pattern for each patron 
 of the creamery ; these jars to be permanently numbered with metal 
 labels wired to the jar, and each patron to have a number corresponding 
 to the one on the jar. In the bottom of each of these jars, put one- 
 twentieth of an ounce of powdered corrosive sublimate, to which has 
 been added one one-hundredth of its weight of acid magenta, or any 
 other of the anilin colors, that would not be destroyed under the condi- 
 tions present. In this way any milk which has the poisonous corrosive 
 sublimate in it will have such a vivid pink color that there will be no 
 danger of any one drinking it by mistake or of its being fed to animals. 
 Any day in the week a correct sample of the milk measuring one-fourth 
 of a pint taken either by a sampling tube or a dipper is put into this jar. 
 Any 'other day in the week a second sample of the same size and taken 
 in the same way should be added. A third sample taken on any other 
 day may also be added, if great accuracy is desired. The patron should 
 not know beforehand what day these samples are to be taken, and they 
 need not be taken the same day for all the patrons. The cans can be 
 prepared Saturday morning and samples taken any day during the week, 
 so that the patron can never be sure when he brings his milk whether or 
 not a sample is to be taken from that day's milk. At the end of the 
 week the mixed sample is analyzed and its analysis considered to repre- 
 sent the average character of the milk delivered during the week. 
 Three samples would certainly be enough to represent the average char- 
 acter of the milk for any one week, and two samples a week, taken each 
 week for a month, would certainly be enough to correctly represent the 
 average character of the milk for the month. This amount of corrosive 
 sublimate will keep the milk for ten days in the hottest weather, and 
 does not interfere with the accuracy of the analysis, when the method 
 of analysis described in this bulletin is used. But corrosive sublimate 
 cannot be used for preserving the sample when any of the methods of 
 extracting the fat by ether is used. 
 
 When corrosive sublimate is added to samples, and those samples are 
 held for several days in a ■warm room, it is necessary to be quite careful 
 in the handling of the milk to prevent it churning. The samples cannot 
 be carried from one place to another by team or on the railroad without 
 danger of their churning, and even the mixing should be done with care 
 and done entirely by pouring instead of by shaking. 
 
 Prof. Cooke also shows that it is not necessary that the separate 
 samples should be proportional in size to the quantity of milk 
 each day furnished. The error caused by taking samples of 
 uniform size each day is inappreciable. 
 
6 
 
 The Use of the Method in Creameries. — This method can be 
 applied to the testing of cream equally well, as we shall notice 
 later, but applied to milk it is chiefly valuable to those cream- 
 eries of which there are a number in this State, and a very large 
 number in neighboring States, that collect or receive milk instead 
 of cream, and either set it or remove the fat by the separator. 
 At present payment is made by the hundred weight of milk sup- 
 plied, with little or no regard to quality. 
 
 The great objection to such methods is that they encourage 
 patrons to aim at quantity rather than quality of milk, to keep 
 cows that are large milkers instead of rich milkers, to feed for 
 quantity rather than quality of milk, and in some cases that have 
 been brought to our notice, to reduce milk which was considered 
 too good for the price paid for it with water. 
 
 Still others who would scorn to add water, see no harm in 
 taking a little cream for family use from the top of a can after 
 it has stood over night. 
 
 One great advantage of the cream gathering system is that it 
 reduces, though it does not by any means eradicate the tempta- 
 tion or the opportunity to " beat " the creamery and the honest 
 milk producer. 
 
 The Babcock method offers to creameries a practicable and 
 accurate method of finding out how much butter-fat each patron 
 daily supplies to it. 
 
 This being done it is possible to pay not for pounds of milk 
 but for actual butter-fat. 
 
 This is obviously the only satisfactory method of payment, 
 and wherever introduced it renders watering or skimming un- 
 profitable and gives to those who furnish the richest milk a fair 
 price for it. 
 
 To illustrate: — 
 
 Since the 24th of October last this Station has determined the 
 fat in 206 samples of milk carefully taken at creameries from the 
 cans of mixed milk brought by individual patrons. Each sample 
 therefore represented the mixed milk of a herd. Most of them 
 were from a single milking, a few were perhaps mixtures of 
 morning and night's milk. 
 
 The average per cent, of fat in these was 3.98 or in round num- 
 bers four per cent. That is if this whole quantity of milk had 
 been mixed thoroughly together, a hundred weight of it would 
 have contained four pounds of butter-fat. 
 
But as was to be expected the milk from the individual dairies 
 was of various quality. The milk of one herd contained 5.25 
 per cent, of fat, that of another 3.28 per cent, of fat, and while the 
 percentage varied somewhat from day to day yet the milk of 
 certain herds was uniformly rich in fat while that of other herds 
 was as uniformly poor. 
 
 These figures mean that a hundred pounds of milk, furnished 
 by one patron brought to the creamery five and a quarter pounds 
 of fat, but a hundred pounds of milk from his neighbor's herd 
 brought only three and a quarter pounds. This is an extreme 
 case. If for illustration we assume that the milk of A's herd 
 contains 5 per cent, of fat and that of B's herd 3.5 per cent, we 
 have a difference between the herds which is not by any means 
 extreme in Connecticut to-day. 
 
 A and B we will suppose produce the same quantity of milk 
 per week, 1500 pounds, and are paid at the rate of $1.10 per hun- 
 dred or about 2-^-^ cents per quart. (The actual price paid by 
 different creameries is not known). Their receipts are therefore 
 the same, $16.50 per week. 
 
 For this, A furnishes to the creamery 75 pounds (1500 X yto) 
 of butter-fat and B furnishes 52^ pounds. 
 
 That is, crediting nothing to the skimmed milk of which each 
 patron supplied the same quantity ; A, the patron who produces 
 the richer milk, who has the better cows or who feeds more 
 rationally gets 22 cents a pound for butter-fat, and B the patron 
 whose milk is the poorest, whose herd is poor or feeding inju- 
 dicious gets 31.4 cents a pound. This is a premium of 10 cents 
 per pound of fat on thin milk, or poor stock and feeding, or on 
 judicious watering of the milk. 
 
 It presents little inducement to better the herd or to feed for 
 quality rather than quantity of milk. 
 
 It is obviously very unfair to all the parties concerned and 
 bears hardest on A who has an exceptionally good herd or who 
 feeds exceptionally well. 
 
 Now suppose this creamery changes its policy and offers as 
 before $1.10 per hundred for "standard" milk containing four 
 per cent, of fat but allows 2f cents per hundred additional for 
 every " unit " or tenth of a per cent, of fat more than four in the 
 milk and deducts 2f cents per hundred for every "unit " or tenth 
 per cent, under four. 
 
The two accounts will stand as follows : 
 
 A. Milk contains 5 per cent, of fat. 
 
 15 hundred weight of milk, @ $1.10 $16.50 
 
 Add for 10 units per hundred, or 150 units of fat @ 2| cents 4.13 
 
 S20.63 
 
 B. Milk contains 3.5 per cent, of fat. 
 
 15 hundred weight of milk, @ $1.10 $16.50 
 
 Deduct for 5 units per hundred, or 75 uaits of fat @ 2f cents 2.0T 
 
 $14.43 
 
 Under this arrangement A has received $20.63 for his 1500 
 pounds of milk and has furnished 75 pounds of butter-fat. He 
 has therefore received 27|- cents per pound for the butter-fat. 
 
 B has received $14.43 cents for 52-| pounds of butter-fat, and 
 for each pound 27.5 cents, the same that his neighbors receive for 
 a like amount of butter-fat. 
 
 Neither A nor B can increase their receipts by watering or 
 skimming milk nor by increasing the flow of milk at the expense 
 of quality. 
 
 These particular prices are for nothing more than to illustrate 
 the point. The actual rate to be paid must depend of course on 
 what the creamery can produce butter for and sell it for. 
 
 It is believed that the practice of paying for butter-fat rather than 
 for milk — which is rendered practicable by the methods referred to in 
 this Bulletin — will gradually reduce the cost of producing butter, will 
 increase the profits of the honest and intelligent patrons and offer more 
 inducement than there now is for improving herds and feeding liberally 
 and for quality rather than quantity of milk. 
 
 It must be borne in mind that the Tester shows the percentage 
 of pure batter-fat in the milk, not of " cream " or of butter. 
 " Cream " varies much in composition and may contain as low as 
 
 16 per cent, of pure butter-fat or as high as 30 per cent, or even 
 higher. Butter contains from 75 to 87 per cent, of jmre butter-fat, 
 see analyses on page 10 of this bulletin. More or less of the but- 
 ter-fat of the milk however is lost in butter making, chiefly in the 
 skimmed milk and in the butter milk. 
 
Determination of Fat in Cream. 
 
 The same method Dr. Babcock has applied to cream with 
 success and our own experiments also have convinced us that the 
 fat in cream raised in deep, submerged cans, can be accurately 
 and easily determined by the Babcock Method, the cream being 
 measured in the same way as milk with some slight changes in 
 manipulation. 
 
 They have also given a further illustration of what was well 
 known before, that even where the milk of different herds is set 
 in the same way the actual fat in a " space " or any unit of 
 volume varies very considerably, a space of cream from one herd 
 containing a good deal more or less of actual butter-fat than that 
 from another. In a Bulletin shortly to be issued the determina- 
 tion of fat in cream by the Babcock Method will be fully discussed. 
 
 BUTTER ANALYSES. 
 
 In a following table are given the analyses of eleven samples of 
 butter from private dairies and six samples of creamery butter. 
 These butters were entered in the exhibit at the Connecticut 
 Dairymen's Association which met in Hartford, Jan. 20-22, 1891. 
 The score of points for each butter is also given. The method of 
 making award was as follows: Number of possible points, 100. 
 Minimum number allowed in awarding premiums 85. Divide the 
 total premium by the total number of points scored above the 
 minimum. The quotient is the amount to be awarded for each 
 point scored above the minimum. 
 
 To illustrate : Of the creamery butters, 
 
 No. 9 scored 14 points above the minimum. 
 
 14 
 
 10 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 Total points scored 45. Total premium to be divided $70.00. Each 
 
 point scoring above the minimum therefore gets Jg = $1,555 and the premiums 
 awarded are as follows : — 
 
 No. 9 and No. 7, each $21.78, No. 4, $15.55, No. 1, $6.22 and No. 5, $4.67. 
 
10 
 
 Private Dairy Butter. 
 Scale of Points. 
 
 
 Perfect. 
 
 No. 5. 
 
 No. 11. 
 
 No. 4. 
 
 No. 6. 
 
 No. 7. 
 
 No. 2. 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 No. 8. 
 
 No. 9. 
 
 No. 3. 
 
 No. 10. 
 
 Flavor _ . 
 
 50 
 
 43 
 
 45 
 
 46 
 
 44 
 
 40 
 
 47 
 
 30 
 
 21 
 
 20 
 
 20 
 
 15 
 
 Grain 
 
 25 
 
 23 
 
 23 
 
 23 
 
 22 
 
 23 
 
 22 
 
 24 
 
 17 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 5 
 
 Color . . . 
 
 . 15 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 6 
 
 15 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 Salt .... 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 Package 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 100 
 
 96 
 
 !)1 
 
 90 
 
 83 
 
 79 
 
 78 
 
 56 
 
 55 
 
 52 
 
 24 
 
 Analyses. 
 
 Water 10.86 11.01 12.27 8.59 12.74 11.54 10.09 10.99 10.04 9.37 11.38 
 
 Curd . 1.32 1.28 .91 1.44 1.42 2.00 1.83 2.53 .94 1.24 1.11 
 
 Salt 1.86 5.23 1.18 2.32 2.76 4.11 4.22 3.47 2.44 7.83 6.1&- 
 
 Fat 85.96 82.48 85.64 87.65 83.08 82.35 83.86 82.01 86.58 81.56 80.73 
 
 100.0 100 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 
 
 Specific gravity 
 of the butter-fat 
 
 at 100° C .8666 .8644 .8667 .8646 .8646 .8657 .8640 .8642 .8652 .8650 .8662 
 
 Creamery Butter. 
 
 Scale of Points. 
 
 Perfect. No. 9. No. 7. No. 4. No. 1. No. 5. No. 6. 
 
 Flavor. 50 49 50 48 46 49 44 
 
 Grain 25 25 25 23 22 21 21 
 
 Color. 15 15 14 15 13 10 9 
 
 Salt J 5 5 5 4 3 3 3 
 
 Package 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 
 
 Total 100 99 99 95 89 88 82 
 
 Analyses. 
 
 Water 11.38 8.89 11.38 7.97 8.35 6.54 
 
 Curd .96 .94 1.18 .90 1.00 1.58 
 
 Salt 2.65 2.14 3.17 2.88 2.30 3.96 
 
 Fat 85.01 88.03 84.27 88.25 88.35 87.92 
 
 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 
 
 Specific gravity of the butter 
 
 fat at 100° C .8644 .8648 .8647 .8644 .8645 .8646 
 
 The judge of the creamery butter was Mr. H. K. House of the 
 Allyn House, Hartford ; of the private dairy butter, Mrs. Thomas 
 Fairclough of Waterbury. Tunxis Creamery, Robertsville, and 
 Greens Farms Creamery, Westport, took first premiums. 
 
11 
 
 The average composition of the creamery and private dairy 
 butters and the range of percentage of each ingredient are as 
 follows : 
 
 
 Creamery Butter. 
 
 Private Dairy Butter. 
 
 
 Range of 
 
 Average 
 
 Range of 
 
 Average 
 
 
 percentage. 
 
 composition. 
 
 percentage. 
 
 composition 
 
 "Water 
 
 6.5-11.4 
 
 9.1 
 
 8.6-12.7 
 
 10.8 
 
 Curd 
 
 .9- 1.6 
 
 1.1 
 
 .9- 2.5 
 
 1.5 
 
 
 
 2.0 
 
 1.2- 1.8 
 
 3.8 
 
 Fat 
 
 84.3-88.4 
 
 86.9 
 
 80.7-87.7 
 
 83.9 
 
 
 100.0 
 
 100.0 
 
 The private dairy butters which received the lowest grading 
 for flavor, grain and salt were ones which had the very abnor- 
 mally high per cents, of salt (6.78 and 7.83). 
 
 It is somewhat surprising that No. 11, with 5.23 per cent, of 
 salt, should have scored as high as it did. 
 
 The creamery butter as a rule carried 3 per cent, more of 
 actual butter fat than the private creamery butter. 
 
 FERTILIZERS. 
 
 Duties of Dealers in Fertilizers. 
 
 The Connecticut Fertilizer Law holds the seller responsible 
 for affixing a correct label and statement of composition to every 
 package or lot of fertilizer sold or offered for sale. Purchasers, 
 for their own security, should insist that such statements are 
 supplied. 
 
 Evert Person who sells commercial fertilizers in Connecticut 
 is also required by law to report certain facts to the Director of 
 this Station and a penalty is provided for neglect to do this. 
 
 The law also holds the Seller responsible for the payment of 
 an analysis-fee on every brand of fertilizer sold by him in case 
 the fee is not paid by the manufacturer on or before the first of 
 May annually. 
 
 Copies of the law will be sent on application. 
 
12 
 
 Gratuitous Analyses of Fertilizers. 
 
 The Station by its authorized agents draws samples of all 
 brands offered for sale in all parts of the State and when possible 
 sends its agents, on request, to sample large lots of goods bought 
 by Granges or Farmers' Clubs. 
 
 The cooperation of farmers' organizations is nevertheless de- 
 sired in calling attention to new brands of fertilizers, and in 
 securing samples. 
 
 To insure justice to manufacturers, dealers and consumers 
 alike, the Station will make gratuitous analyses of Commercial 
 Fertilizers only on samples taken by the Agents of the Station, 
 or on such other samples as are fully described on the Station 
 Forms for Description and taken in accordance with the Station 
 Instructions for sampling, and furthermore are properly authenti- 
 cated by the certificate of the person drawing the sample, and in 
 addition the witness, either 
 
 1. Of a Selectman ; 
 
 9. Of an Officer of a farmers' club, grange or local agricultural 
 society ; or 
 
 3. Of the Dealer from whose stock the sample is taken. 
 
 In case a Dealer takes samples of his own stock, the witness of 
 one of the Officers aforesaid will be required. 
 
 It is particularly necessary that the actual cost prices be given. 
 In case of special rates the Station, if desired, will hold confiden- 
 tial both the names of the seller and buyer, but to make the 
 results of analysis of any general value, and so to justify making 
 the analyses at all it is essential to know the cost of the material. 
 
 The Trade-Values for 1891 of Fertilizing Ingredients in \ 
 
 Raw Materials and Chemicals. 
 
 The average Trade- Values or retail cost per pound of the 
 ordinarily occurring forms of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 
 potash are as follows : 
 
 Cts. 
 per lb. 
 
 Nitrogen in ammonia salts 18£ 
 
 nitrates 14-J 
 
 Organic nitrogen in dry and fine ground fish, meat and blood 15 \ 
 
 in cotton seed meal and castor-pomace 15 
 
 in fine bone and tankage - - 15 
 
 in fine medium bone and tankage 12 
 
 in medium bone and tankage .- 9 J 
 
 in coarser bone and tankage 7$ 
 
 in hair, horn shavings and coarse fish scrap 1 
 
13 
 
 Phosphoric acid, soluble in water 8 
 
 iu ammonium citrate*.. 7| 
 
 in dry ground fish, fine bone and tankage 7 
 
 in fine-medium bone and tankage 5| 
 
 in medium bone and tankage 4| 
 
 in coarser bone and tankage 3 
 
 Potash as high-grade Sulphate and in forms free from Muriate (or Chlorides) 5£ 
 
 as muriate 4^ 
 
 These Trade- Values are the average prices at which in the six 
 months preceding March the respective ingredients could be 
 bought at retail for cash in our large markets, Boston, New- 
 York and Philadelphia, in the raw materials which are the 
 regular source of supply. They also correspond to the average 
 wholesale prices for the six months ending March 1 st, plus about 
 20 per cent, in case of goods for which we have wholesale quota- 
 tions. They have been agreed upon by the Experiment Stations 
 of Massachusetts, New Jersey and Connecticut for use in their 
 respective States during 1891. The valuations obtained by use 
 of the above figures will be found to agree fairly with the 
 average retail price at the large markets of standard raw ma- 
 terials such as : 
 
 Sulphate of Ammonia, Azotin, 
 
 Nitrate of Soda, Ammonite. 
 
 Dried Blood. Dry Ground Fish, 
 
 Muriate of Potash, Bone or Tankage, 
 
 Sulphate of Potash, Ground So. Carolina Rock, 
 
 Plain Superphosphate. 
 
 Valuation of Superphosphates, Special Manures and Mixed 
 Fertilizers of High Grade. 
 
 The Valuation of a Fertilizer consists in calculating the retail 
 Trade-value or cash-cost at trade centers (in raw r materials of 
 good quality) of an amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 
 potash equal to that contained in one ton of the fertilizer. 
 
 To obtain the Valuation of a Fertilizer we multiply the pounds 
 per ton of Nitrogen, etc., by the trade-value per pound. We 
 thus get the values per ton of the several ingredients, and adding 
 them together we obtain the total valuation per ton. 
 
 * Dissolved from 2 grams of the unground phosphate previously extracted with 
 pure water, by 100 c. c. neutral solution of Ammonium Citrate, sp. gr. 1.09, in 30 
 minutes, at 65° C, with agitation once in five minutes. Commonly called "re- 
 verted " or " backgone " Phosphoric Acid. 
 
14 
 
 Organic nitrogen in Mixed Fertilizers is reckoned at 15-J cents, 
 the price of nitrogen in raw materials of the best quality. 
 
 Insoluble Phosphoric Acid is reckoned at 2 cents. Potash is 
 rated at 4-| cents, if sufficient chlorine is present in the fertilizer 
 to combine with it to make muriate. If there is more Potash 
 present than will combine with the chlorine, then this excess of 
 potash is reckoned at 5^ cents. 
 
 In most cases the valuation of the Ingredients in Superphos- 
 phates and Specials falls below the retail cash price charged for 
 these goods at the factory. The difference between the two 
 figures represents the manufacturer's charges for converting raw 
 materials into manufactured articles and selling them. These 
 charges are for grinding and mixing, bagging or barreling, stor- 
 age, commission to agents and dealers, interest on investment;, 
 and finally, profits. If the purchaser buys on credit, the price of 
 the fertilizer is commonly made to cover interest. 
 
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