New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-06
ANEW FIELD IN FERTILIZERS
HOW RECENT DISCOVERIES In FLAX MANU-
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FAOTURE MAY BE TURNED TO ACCOUNT
10 me RAZOR Of The Trt6rne
Sir: have read with much interest your editorial
An Industry 10 be Creatcd,p published on June 1,
and agree fully with the suggestion that the fax in
dusry should be protected by suitable duties on for
eign goods made from the fibre of that valuable tex
tile product, to foster the production of fax on
the lands in the West that have become Improbable
in the culture Of wheat. This leads to the still
more important question why It is that the wheat
lands of the great Northwest, the cotton lands Of
the South and the tobacco lands Of the Middle States
are losing the elements which essential IN the
SOL to produce their growth. and what remedy can
be made available TO restore these lands to their orig
lnal condition, SO as to bring them back 10
the same producing fertility that they
possessed when their first crops were put in. On
this question those familiar with the subject will
agree that all vegetable growth Is constantly drawing
from the soil the necessary potash and phosphates
to make the stem and the seed of the plant 1t Is
also well known that the restoration of these ingre-
dents to the soil has given rise to the enormous
industry Of providing artificial fertilizers, and for this
purpose the guano deposits in South America the
mari beds in many parts of the United States, the
fisheries the bones of animals, etc. have been
utilized almost beyond the reach of calculation. But
the return the soil Of the potash and phosphorus
contained in the vegetable growths themselves outside
the lands used for stOckraisng, dairy farms sheep
farms, etc. is subject that has but recently been
considered
Investigation has finally demonstrated the fact that
the byproducts OF the pulp mills the OF wheat
and all cereal crops, the refuse Of the cotton plant
tobacco and sugar cane, easily and cheaply be
manufactured into pulp for making paper, and the
time for fertilizers for the soil, the latter By
bong mixed with peat any kind Of vegetable
matter. In this way natural fertilizer is made, more
valuable than any OF the artificial fertilizers heretofore
In use thus converting these waste products into
articles Of great commercial value, equal in many
stances 10 the value of tbs crop Of seed or fibre,
which alone has heretofore been cons dered This
notably the case with the refuse material of the
cotton field, the tobacco farm and the sugar cane
plantation. Experiments with the bulls OF cotton
seed show that 90 per cent Of the weight consists of
fibre that Will produce the finest paper the market
and the remaining 80 per cent goes into an alkaline
fertilizer exactly suited to the wants Of the soil 10
produce the cotton plant. Similar experiments with
a1Nr the saccharlnc product has been extracted with
the straw OF wheat and other grains the shavngs OF
pune and Cher varieties Of wood, produce similar
suS In snort all lbrOus vegetable grOWuhs
be treated I'm similar manner aud with large profit
rms Invention, therefore, opens up 10 tho agr-
cultirEts OF this country "A practical and cheap
method OF placing back In the soil 10 feed crops
Ihe alkaline Ingredients that the rpencd crop has
drawn out of the s1n. While great Quantities OF
artificial fertilizers are used, experience shows that
their effects the crops are more In the ma lure OF a
temporary stmulsnt than permanent benefit The
alkaline properties taken fnom the vegetable growth
llseu and mixed with vegetable matter Ike peat or
muck produce natural fertilizer exactly suited
ule wants OF the plant, and therefore, OF much
greater practical value 20 the farmer than any kind
OF artlhcial fertilizer now on the market
- H. d. FAULKNER
No Is Garland st NovVorh Trno IA Isso