CASTOR POMACE. Castor pomace is the residue left after removing the oil from the castor bean. It is actively poisonous to stock and should be stored with due precautions on that account. As a fertilizer it is used chiefly with cottonseed meal in tobacco mixtures. While valuable chiefly for its nitrogen content it contains also about one per cent of potash and two per cent of phosphoric acid. Fifty-eight samples were analyzed and the results are given in Table III. Fifteen were sampled by the station agent; the remainder were sampled and submitted by purchasers. Sample 22813 was submitted by the purchaser and was drawn from three bags. The stock was left over from the previous year but when bought was guaranteed to contain 5 per cent of nitrogen. Sample 22951 was sampled by the station agent from six bags of the lot, and samples 22953 and 22960 were taken from each of two bags which were represented in the original purchaser's sample. The two single bag samples show a variation in nitrogen of about 1 per cent. The entire purchase of the previous year cannot be adequately judged, however, by these samples from the left-over stock. In general, this material has been sold this year under a guaranty of 4.52 per cent nitrogen, which is equivalent to 5.50 per cent of ammonia. In fifty samples where guaranties are known there were forty in which the guaranties were exceeded and ten in which they were not met; but for the total number there was an average overrun of 0.17 per cent of nitrogen. At the prices quoted to us, confidentially or otherwise, the average cost per ton is $29.76. The average nitrogen content is 4.75 per cent. Disregarding the potash and phosphoric acid contents, nitrogen has cost 31.3 cents per pound, which is $6.26 per unit of nitrogen or $5.13 per unit of ammonia. If allowance is made for the potash and phosphoric acid present at the rate of four cents per pound each, then the cost per pound of nitrogen is about 28.8 cents. Station No. TABLE III. ANALYSES OF CASTOR POMACE-Concluded. One hundred and thirty-five samples of cottonseed meal have been analyzed and the results are given in Table IV. The grades may be classified as follows: 36 per cent protein containing 5.76 per cent nitrogen equivalent to 7.00 per cent ammonia, 16 samples. 41 per cent protein containing 6.56 per cent nitrogen equivalent to 8.00 per cent ammonia, 82 samples. 43 per cent protein containing 6.88 per cent nitrogen equivalent to 8.30 per cent ammonia, 17 samples. Four samples have odd guaranties and for 16 samples no guaranties were submitted. There were no samples bearing a guaranty of 38.56 per cent protein (6.17 per cent nitrogen equivalent to 7.50 per cent ammonia). Of these samples where guaranties are known 82 equaled or exceeded their guaranties and 36 did not. As an average for all samples there was 0.15 per cent of nitrogen in excess of the guaranty. Reckoning nitrogen at its average cost as deduced from data obtained this year, viz., 39.1 cents per pound, deficiencies in money value in excess of $1.00 per ton were shown in only 15 samples. This is making no allowance for about 3 per cent of phosphoric acid and 2 per cent of potash which cottonseed meal normally contains and which are fairly valued at 4 cents per pound each. So far as we have information as to prices, the cost of nitrogen in cottonseed meal has averaged 39.1 cents per pound, and nitrogen has been purchased at somewhat better advantage in the higher grades as appears in the subjoined summary, Table V. Two samples purchased by Hatheway & Steane from Olds & Whipple of Hartford were submitted by the purchasers. Guaranties were not given. The samples, 23174 and 23175, contained 5.77 and 5.96 per cent of nitrogen respectively, equivalent to 7.02 and 7.25 per cent of ammonia. The price quoted was $45.50 per ton; thus nitrogen cost about 38.7 cents per pound. 1 Based on 12 quotations. 2 Based on 11 quotations. Based on 15 quotations. Based on 11 quotations. Based on 49 quotations. |