The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-29
PlloSnlloruS.

| Phosphorus.
| The magnitude and significance Of phos-
phate mining and Of the manufacture OF ar
tificial fertilizers can hardly be- overesti-
mated. Tho figures involved are enormous
and almost incredible.
| Phosphoric acid Is one Of the invariable
constituents OF vegetation. appearing ut
| first chiefly in the tender leaves and buds,
and finally almost wholly In the mature
seeds. Over two billion seven hundred
million pounds in weight Of phosphoric
acid are removed every year from the soil
| OF the United States in the crops OF cereals
and of hay and straw, or about nineteen
pounds an acre of cereals and twelve pounds
an nero OF grass. To maintain the fertility
OF the soil, this vast amount Of this special
mineral must sooner or later be returned to
1t. In early times this end was in
part attained by allowing fields to lie
fallow at regular intervals, SO that the
natural processes of decay and absorption
might restore some of the lost phosphorus;
or by the rotation Of crops. which periodi-
cally substituted for n crop requiring much
phosphoric acid a crop that needed less
than usual. Subsequently various manures
were employed rs fertilizers. but not until
some fifty years ago was it proved that only
the phosphoric acid in them and nothing
else. neither lime nor gelatine. renewed the
exhausted land. Now there have been dis
covered in various parts OF the world. in
Spain. Portugal. Belgium. France. Norway.
Russia. and North America. in rocks of Diff
ferent formations. deposits Of phosphate
earths or rocks Of various and disputed
origin. which when cleansed and pulver-
lied. or heated with acid. yield phosphoric
acid in a form readily assimilated by grow
ing plants.
The great wheat lands of the Mississippi
Valley, that to-day are the granary Of the
world. owe their fertility probably to the
number OF centuries during which they
have been deforestcd and accommodating
from the overarching and the underlying in
1uences Of sky and earth store of mineral
plant food. which. according to Professor
SMALLER. will in no long time be exhausted.
The slow disintegration OF the glacier
crumbled granite rocks Of New England
may keep its farms. that for the moment
are SO much dcspised. permanently. if only
moderately. fertile; but as the years pass ag-
riculture in the middle Western States will
depend more and more upon artificial fer
tilizatlop as agriculture along the southern
Pacific slope must ever depend on artificial
irrigation. The question Of the possible
supply Of phosphates becomes then of ex-
treme Importance.
Fortunately deposits Of phospbates are
numerous and extensive. whether derived
from the remains OF minute Iparine shell
fish or from fossil guano as in Florida, from
the bones Of mammoths and the coprolites Of
beasts OF extinct species nsin Canada from the
bones and scales of aquatic creatures In the
river drift beds OF South Carolina, OF from
chemical compounds Of possibly purely geo.
logical formation Us In South Carolina and
Canada. III Ottawa county. Quebec, and in
five counties of Ontario. aputite. a combina-
ton Of phosphorus with tiuorine or
cbloriue. is mined to the extent Of
over 22UU TONS year by compa-
Lies with All aggregate capital of
nearly four million dollars. In South Car
olina the output Of phosphate is over GOOO
tons by companies with u capital OF over
six million dollars. while the capital OF COM
pauies Engaged In tho same business in
Florida Is over fifty million dollars. When
it Is remembered that phosphate mining did
not begin in South Carolina until 1867. and
not until 1893 In Florida. the phenomenal
development OF this industry is apparent:
and although the capital of the various com
ponies Is often only speculative and arth-
ciiI, its magnitude Is amazing still and per-
heps unparalleled. Other deposits have
boon found in rocks of the tertiary era that
are formed OF the sediment of q prehistoric
ocean in Virginia. North Clrolina. Alubame,
n nd t,f ty,n Ialf
pliltc IN South Carolina and Florida alone
ere deemed capable of producing more than
enough to supply tho demands OF the whole
world for many years. a demand that is
calculated at several million tons year OF
phosphatcs and superphosphatos.
About ono-third OF the yearly production
OF raw phosphate In South Carolina is
used by local companies for the manufac-
turc OF artificial fertilizers; while almost
all the higli-Grade rock aud the river drift
phosphate IL exported to Europe. The raw
material for export or for use in an ur-
manufactured state, Is treated by simple
and ingenious automatic process, whereby
continuous series of buckets full OF tho
phosphate Is holsted by a derrick from the
river. delivered to a crusher. then passed
successfully through dry screen. wash
Ing screen. and rlnsing screen. and thence
very slowly through drying screen that
revolvcs In heated chamber above fur
mace. Tho processes for tho manufacture
OF supcrphosphates are too complicated and
various to descSjbe: but the end in view Is
to transform as much rs possible OF
tho phosphoric acid present from IN in
soluble form into forms soluble either in
Wator or In citrate of ammonia This
speaking very generally. is effected by
grinding tho raw material exceedingly fine.