CHEAP FERTILISERS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 100, 30 April 1914, Page 6

CHEAP FERTILISERS.

'At a meeting of jlhe South Australian farmers Professor . Lowrie, -l^ireetor of Agriculture, told them "that, it was a . penny-wise and poundfoolish system to buy low-grade phosphates simply because they were •tjhoap. The essential point in pliosptiates, Professor Lowrie said, is the *mit value, that is, the percentage in ia ton of phosphate of lime rendered -soluble. Thus, a grower'buys supers say, at £3 7s 6d per - ton, containing 30 per cent, of phosphate of lime, •.whereas it is infinitely better to purchase the 36 per cent, quality, even if he pays £4,5s for it. He reclamed lan average farmer used 15 tons of •superphosphates, and, in buying 30 per cenit, stuff, he Rays carriage on v several tons.of usefuf material, which pie also goes to the trouble of placing on his land., without securing a Article of benefit. Many will argue that they get as good results from The use of the cheap grade, simply fcecause they do not notice an immediate difference; but in reality, if not in one season certainly over a Succession. of seasons there is a decided difference in the yields obtained m the added fertility of the soil and in .tne cash balance in one's pocket fewer. The Professor regretted that f£ take the cheap grade when they ttttnemberea that .cheapness', meant tess efficient manure, while the exSJt lanI an? iil g ai ld General results really made at the dearer article from

a purchasing point of view. To give | one illustration, he stated that learn- ] ing one of the merchants was. import- i ing .some 45 to 48 per cent, super, he rang him up to inquire the price. "Oh," .he replied, "we cannot quote i(t ( as we have broken it all down.'-' He asked why. and the answer came, "The farmers will not buy it; they want cheaper stuff." To put it in a nutshell, he said the man who purchased the super at £4 5s received, on the basis of the £3 17s 6d stuff, value to ithe extent of £4 13s. The farmer, therefore, who took out the low-grade was practically throwing away £6 for nothing, in addition to paying freight on three tons of useless sand.