The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-01-15

the German salt-mines, and various
kinds of potash salts are nowlmported
from that country in large quantities
For a clear understanding, however,
of the most profitable manner of using
these potash salts, their character
should be fully known. We have
now in the market muriate, or chlor-
ide of potash, sulphate of potash, and
various grades of potash salts, called
also, Kainit, or German salts to-
gether with the commercial potash
which is the crude carbonate, made
from wood ashes. The market value
Of the last mentioned, fixes that of
each of the various potash salts that
are used as fertilizers. Muriate of
potash--so called high grade-con.
tains 80 to IS per cent. Of chloride of
potassium, and from so to SO per cent.
OF actual potash. This is the cheap
est and best form in which to pur-
chase potash for fertilizing purposes.
But. on account of its strength in
potash, as we'll as on account of the
corrosive properties OF the acid, with
which it is combined, it is necessary
to use this salt with care. To use it
with safety, it should be sown broad
cast upon the fresh soil, Is days be.
fore the seed is sown, or composted
with 90 times its weight of dry
swamp muck, or 40 times it's weight
of fresh manure. The market price
of this form of potash, is now about
Al -eents per hrcnnd. WIKI Va ..-~i =.
Al cents for real potash, and there is
no other form OF potash in which
this base could be procured so cheap
ly. Another advantage in purchasing
potash in this form is, that it is very
regular in its quality, and as a ton of
it contains 161100 or more OF potash
salts, and 1000 or more of actual
potash, it is far more cheaply carried
than the more impure salts, ton of
which may not contain more than $50
pounds OF potash.
Sulphate of potash is imported in
various conditions of impurity. The
best quality contains more than
40 per cent. OF potash and sells for 8
to 81 cents per pound. 1t is thus a
more costly fertilizer than the mu-
riate, the actual potash in it selling
for q to 5 cents per pound, instead
of a cents in the muriatc. An i'm.
pure sulphate OF 274 per cent. of act
ual potash, sells in the market at II to
2 cents per pound, but the impurities
in these low grade salts are generally
injurious to vegetation, consisting of
chloride and sulphate of magnesia.
There is also another serious object
ion TO the use of this class of potas-
sic fertilizers, viz, the necessity OF
handling 1900 to 1000 pounds of
useless, if not injurious rubbish, with
400 or 500 pounds only of useful ma
terial in every ton. Bni there is
another use for these po,Assic ma
nures, which is worth study. 1t is
we'll known that wood ashes are yerv
useful for composing peat and other
vegetable matters, as well as for
sottening bones. The potash salts
may be made equally useful in the
same ways. Prot. Johnson in his
valuable work, Ho,o Crops Reed,
mentions the fact that when a soil
rich in organic matter is made aka
line, and when warmth and moisture
are present, putrefactive fermenta-
tion occurs and decomposition speed
lily results. Every one who has
mixed moist poultry manure with
wood ashes has recognized the fact
that a rapid decomposition takes
place. The same occurs when barn