Fertilizers are generally mixed and sold to the farmer on the ton basis.
LOW GRADE MIXTURES
Most dealers, to meet a certain demand, furnish mixtures ranging from $15 to $25 per ton. These mixtures are necessarily low grade and are more expensive than the higher priced high grade mixtures.
For example:
A certain potato fertilizer on the market, which we will call mixture A, has the following guaranteed analysis:
| Ammonia | 7 to 8 per cent. |
| Available Phosphoric Acid | 6 to 7 per cent. |
| Actual Potash | 5 to 6 per cent. |
A ton of this would contain:
| Pounds. | ||
| Nitrogen | 115.4 value at 17½¢ | $20.19 |
| Available Phosphoric Acid | 120 value at 4¢ | 4.80 |
| Potash | 100 value at 5¢ | 5.00 |
| —— | —— | |
| Totals | 335.4 | $29.99 |
Add to this the average charge for mixing, bagging, selling, profit, etc., $8, and the cost will be $37.99.
The selling price of this fertilizer would probably be not less than $40. Now suppose the farmer thinks this a high priced and expensive fertilizer and looks about for something cheaper. He finds a low grade potato fertilizer, which we will call mixture B, that has the following guarantee: