Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-09-20

aient Of base, the monocalcic fowm \
soluble in water. Phosphates soluble
in solution Of ammonia citrate but moi
soluble in water. have been called
reverted" OF "precipilated" phos,
pilates These terms are without any
precise and definite scientific mean.
ing; they are vague and elastic, and
therefore misleadiag and capable ol
becoming the learned vehicle Of much
pious fraud. They have been nn.
doubtedly extensively 20 employed.
| know perfectly wen what I am
saying and am prepared 10 defend my
positions. Inaamuch as all forms Of
phosphoric acid speedily reach the
form Of tribasic combination in tho
soil and become insoluble in and ina
Eaovahla ~ soil waseh ifsa 80 -
the ashes and tissues Of all plants con.
tain only tribasic phosphates, IL be-
comes perfectly clear that the inpor-
tance Of the constructions between
soluble reverted and insoluble phos.
pilates has been greatly exaggerated
by chemists. Hence. / maintain and
have long maintained that mechani-
cal disintegration should be and can
be substituted for chemical treatment
in the preparation Of crude mineral
phosphates for fertilizing materials,
seeing that chemical treatment is more
expensive than mechanical in the pro-
portion Of $3.50 TO $50. 1t can no
longer be disputed that inaolubie
phosphates are assimilated by plants,
the plants themselves elfecting their
solution and absorption by means Of
their roots placed in direct contact
with the phosphate in the soil.
have not time TO quote extensively
from authorities, but l ask leave TO
read a statement from Sir John Ben
nstt Lawes completely corroborative of
that position which | have defended
for many years. The pamphlet from
which quote, recently published, is
styled can Attempt to Explain the
Action Of Manures. On page 8, the
learned author says: "In one of our
permanent wheat fields at Rothamp-
stead, the land receives, with other
manures, 8! cwt. of superphosphate of
lime per acre every year. This appli-
cation has taken place every year for
between 80 and 40 years, during
which period hardly any phosphate
has been carried away by the crops.
A few years ago several analysis of
the drainage water passing through
this soil, by DR.. Voelcker, showed less
than l ID. of phosphoric acid to l00,-
900 gallons of water. A large crop
ofturnips would certainly evaporate
this amount OF water if not more, but
as the turnips would require a good
many pounds of phosphoric acid, It is
evident that they could only get the
required amount bv some chemical
action of the roots when in direct con-
tact with that substance. 1T has
been further shown" continues this
pre-eminent authority, "by direct ex-
pertinent, that polished phosphate
rocks can be corroded aud Ioughened
by the roots of plants in contact with
them" / simply reaffirm that in the
present state Of knowledge no one can
pretend that phosphates to be assimi-
lated by plants must be soluble in
either water or solution of ammonia
citrate. What, indeed, have plants
to do with ammonium citrate? As
the result Of the acceptance of the
views stated above in many quarters,
we have recently been furnished with
ground phosphates reduced to an i'm
palpable form called floats, as the
product of the mill invented by Mr..
Due, of South Carolina, and also
ground by buristones and bolted.
Practical experiments with floats
show that the phosphates in that form
are readily assimilated by our crops
AS the South Carolina phosphates
are the best crude material for the
production Of floats" / will in the
briefest manner. describe those vast
deposits. The beds extend from the
vicinity Of Charleston, South Carolina,
northward into North Carolina, and
southwark to Florida. Indeed. the
northern limit of the formation il
probably the New Jersey green sand.
aud valuable deposits will be found
at intervals all along the coast,
have no doubt. when proper and com.
petent search shall be made. Such
exploration ought to be made by the
United States Geological Survey. OF
the aggregate amount Of the material
various estimates have been made,
but it ls certain that no sufficient data
exist for reliable calculations. The
pessimist view is that the accessible
material will be exhausted at the
present rate Of consumption in from
10 70 20 years.
The optimist view is that the beds
are ''inexhaastihle," the word mex.
haustable conveying the idea of suflici.
ency for many years, 20 meet all the de.
mands which can be made upon the
accessible supply. With that inter.
probation Of 'inexhaustible." I am in.
clined 70 the optiraist view. Profes.
sor Shepherd, whom set down as q
pessimist, says Il should say that
the total yield Of all the phosphate
deposits OF South Carolina Of mercan.
tile quality and accessible position
would not exceed FIVE millions Of tons.
! have nc doubt this is under the
truth. | pat It to. you my friend,
that this material Is now cheap: thai
II you get it once on your land it viii
remaln there subject to no waste ex.
eept future cropping. The future
presents the certainty OF final ris.
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