e a good crop of cabbage,
I should not think of consulting a chemical analysis of the cabbage.
If I set out cabbage on an acre of land, which, without manure, would
produce 16 tons of cabbage, does any one mean to tell me that if I put
the amount of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash which 10 tons of
cabbage contain, on an adjoining acre, that it would produce an extra
growth of 10 tons of cabbage. I can not believe it. The facts are all
the other way. Plant growth is not such a simple matter as the advocates
of this theory, if there be any at this late day, would have us
believe."

CHAPTER XXXIX.

VALUE OF FERTILIZERS.

In 1857, Prof. S. W. Johnson, in his Report to the Connecticut
Agricultural Society, adopted the following valuation:

Potash 4 cents per lb.
Phosphoric acid, insoluble in water 4-1/2 " " "
" " soluble " " 12-1/2 " " "
Nitrogen 17 " " "

Analyses of many of the leading commercial fertilizers at that time
showed that, when judged by this standard, the price charged was far
above their actual value. In some cases, manures selling for $60 per
ton, contained nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash worth only from $20
to $25 per ton. And one well-known manure, which sold for $28 per ton,
was found to be worth only $2.33 per ton. A Bone Fertilizer selling at
$50 per ton, was worth less than $14 per ton.

"In 1852," said the Doctor, "superphosphate of lime was manufactured by
the New Jersey Zinc Co., and sold in New York at $50 per ton of 2,000
lbs. At the same time, superphosphate of lime made from Coprolites, was
selling in England for $24 per ton of 2,240 lbs. The late Prof. Mapes
commenced making "Improved Superphosphate of Lime," at Newark, N.J., in
1852, and Mr. De Burg, the same year, made a plain superphosphate of
lime in Brooklyn, N.Y. The price, in proportion to value, was high, and,
in fact, the same may be said of many of our superphosphate manures,
until within the last few years."

Notwithstanding the comparatively high price, and the uncertain quality
of these commercial manures, the demand has been steadily on the
increase. We have now many honorable and intelligent men engaged in the
manufacture and sale of these artificial manures, and owing to more
definite knowledge on the part of the manufacturers and of the
purchasers, it is not a difficult matter to find