Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1905-07-17
PHOSPHATE PRODUCTION.

The year IVA was q prosperous one
for the producers OF phosphate rock in
the United States" says DR.. Edmund
Otis Hovey Of the United States Geo
logical Survey in . report recently
published on the prod uctlon Of phos-
plate rock in 1904. More rock was
mined than ever before, and better
prices were obtained than have been
reported since 1893. Many farmers
report production and sales during
1904, bot the bulk OF the business was
carried on BY . comparatively email
number Of large producers Consoli-
dalton seems to be the order OF the
day.
The total quantity Of phosphate rock
marketed from the mines during 1904
amounted to 1874 AIS long tons, val
ued At 50, s73, 626, an increase in guam
tity over the output Of 1908 Of 292, $50
long tone and 81 ,654 3Sl in value. The
total quantity Of phosphate rock re-
ported as mined during 1904 was
1901 ,l6o long tons, as compared with
SIS, 79o long tons in 1903. A stock OF
1874 long tons 10 reported as having
been on hand January /, 1906, On the
other hand, the sale Of 90, 245 long tons
Of the quantity Of phosphate rock on
hand January /, 1904, 10 reported.
The State OF Florida continues TO be
the largest producer OF phosphate rock
in the United States, its output form
ing more than one-hslf the total pro-
duction OF the country. A comparison
OF the production by varieties in this
State during 1902 and 1903 shows that
there has been an increase Of about
20 per cent in the output OF hard rock !
IN increase Of about is per cent in that
Of land pebble, and an increase OF
more than 43 per cent in that OF river /
pebble. The total marketed produc.
ton Of Florida phosphate was l,072, 1851 !
long tons, valued at So ,974 ,3O4, az COM
pared with 500. 1885 long tons, valued at
y, $50, s24, in 1903, which shows al av-
srage increase in value per ton at the
mines from $3.47 in 1903 to SO 70 in
1904 The reports also show that
'2.647 long tons OF hard rock we're
mined but not marketed, and that
" ,6ll long tons OF the stock carried
over from previous years were market.
ID in 1904. Hence the total quantity
mined was l ,oSs,0S7 long tons.
In South Carolina the diminution in
,rod uction which has been shown by
he reports for the last Ave years has
eeeived a slight check There was an
Increase OF II per cent in the produc.
ion OF land rock. which more than
made good the continued decline in
liver rock. The total prod uction OF
south Carolina phosphate rock in 1914
vas 27O,SO6 long tons, valued at 1891.
IL, as compared with 25s, $40 long tons
'alued at t7S3, 500 in 1903, distributed
10 follows: Land rock, 26s,sO8 long
ons, valued at tS3O,ll7, ~ compared
With 233, $40 long tons valued At f72l,.
O3 in 1903; river rock 1900 long tons
alued at &3l 200 in 1904, a. compared
With 5000 long tons valued At S62 ,5OO
n 1903.
Tennessee showed in 1904 the largest
marketed output since the beginning :
4 the industry eleven years ago. The
marketed production Of the State for
QH was 59O.57l long tons valued At ,
? ,037 SO4, as compared with Io0,53O
ong tons valued at tl.54S. 561 in 1903, !
he increase in average value 1t the ,
mines WAS 1886 q long ton in 1873 to
8 "a q long ton in 1904. Z
Pennsylvania 10 the only other State
hat reported a production Of phos.
hate during 1904 IL reported bat lGJ
ong tons valued 90 500.
The imports OF fertilizers during the
ear had q total value OF 81 1874, lss.
'hese included 37,l27 long tons ~ gu.
no valued at 1896. 7O2 and 1874 ,te7 long
ons OF crude phosphates and other
INSTANCES ssed for feFtilirinE purposes
nd valued At Ss25,4s7