The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1877-11-22
Some Manurial Substances.
[From the Scientific Farmer.l

olASt
On tobacco the influenced different
forms is no less marked. When the
muriate is used-as shown by the cx-
perience of European eXperimenters
generally, and of some American-the
leaf is inclined to char while the sui
phate has a marked effect in counter
acting this tendency or it may be
more correct to say, that where the
sulphate of potash is used on tobacco
the cured product is quite free from
the Objectionable charming quality. 1t
should be said here, that the carbonate :
of potash-the form of potash in ashes
has about the same qualities as the
sulphate if its effects differ they are
usually for the better but because of
its scarcity we will not consider it sep
arately. And the same is also true of
the nitrate of potash (saltpetre.) In
deed, the muriate of potash was
wrongly named the substance So
called is properly chloride of potash
sium, and must be decomposed and it's
potassium OXydized to potash before it
can have the L character of potash;
hence it is no matter for wonder that
the ..muriate" has a different effect
from the three forms above named
sulphate, carbonate, and nitrate of
potash.
In the potato we have another eX-
ample of the effect of potash. In re-
peated cases it has been found by eX-
perimenters, that the Sulphate increas-
es the percentage of starch III potatoes;
while the murlate, at least. does not
SO increase this valuable component
of the tuber. and often its use is known
to result in '.soapy" watery potatoes.
When we consider that nearly six
tenths of the ash of potatoes is potash,
the importance of this fact is more APP
parent.
In roots generally, too, it has been
| observed that the s~ulphate is more
| sure TO produce agood, solid root, with
a higher percentage OF starch-which
| starch is the most valuable food por-
| ton of the root-than the muriate.
Has not the reader noticed. where
potatoes, turnips II other roots, have
been planted on land recently burned
over. that the crop, whether large OF
small, was of a very superior quality
that the potatoes had that fine,
'mealy" quality so desirable in this
vegetable. to a marked degree: And
has the reader never reflected that this
was largely due-especially the quail
ty-to the great amount of potash in
the ashes left oy the burn: and that
this potash was in the form of the very
soluble carbonate at once available for
the crOp? Such is the fact. whether
noticed or not.
We wish to draw a parallel here,
which seems to us to be a logical de-
duction from the facts above mention
ed. In the sugar beet certain forms
of potash increase the percentage of
sugar in other roots the same sub
stances increase the content of starch.
Starch and sugar are nearly identical
in composition. and it has been recent
lv discovered, that. under certain con
ditionS of vegetable life, starch and
sugar are convertible one into the 9TH
er. These facts argue hat the specific
action of the potash Is the same in
each case, and we venture the asser-
ton that the same action and result
would take place in any other plant
whose chief product was either sugar
or starch. or in which it was desired
to increase these products. Perhaps
it NAV also be said, that one peculiar
function of potash in the plant Is IN
| the development of this class of sub
stances which we call carbohydrates.
Indeed. we have no need to wait for
proof of this theory, for IN various
fruit plants we already have 1t corrob-
grated. Professor GoeSSmann. at the
Mass. Agricultural College. has been
engaged for several years in testing the
effect of specially prepared fertilizers
on the fruit of the grape, and with very
interesting results, prominent among
which is the increased percentage Of
sugar which the Professor thinks IS
probably due to the action of the pot
ash. This increased proportion OF SUI
gar means a better grape in respect to
flavor, texture and size, and to its
various quantities. The kind of pot
ash used was the nitrate. See Scien-
tifc Farmer for July and August, 1876,
'~'Iniuence of Special Fertilization
Professor G.. reasonably expects SINH
larly favorable results from like ex-
periments he is trying on other fruits.