Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-12-26
PhOSPhATELANDS
ARE WITHDRAWN
IDAHO LANDS AMONG THOSE
WITHHELD FROM ENTRY ON
ACCOUNT OF THEIR USE FOR
MINERALS

WITHHELD FROM ENTRY OF
ACCOUNT OF THEIR USE FOE
MINERALS.
Washington, Dec. 26.-The west.
ern phosphate lands recently with.
= drawn from entry by the secretary
OF the interior in accordance with
the presidents order comprise por-
tions Of Morgan. Rich and Cache
counties in Utah; portions of Bear
Lake, Bannock. Bingham, and Free
mont counties in Idaho. and nearly
all OF Unita county in Wyoming
in all about $500 square miles of
land more or less under laid by phos-
plate rock, and constituting the
greatest known phosphate deposits
in the world.
PhOsphOric acid is an essential
constituent of productive sol; WORK
at agricultural experiment stations
in Wistcn.'n, Ohio, and Illinni mas
hho"n that in "a years the cnti"at-
Ell soils e tn Sc states have baa l>de.
r'ct"l t1e thiali cf their csigiall
content Of ','.sphoic acid or a, A.,
annual rate of about 20 pounds per
acre. Even If the loss has only been
One-half of this it would require
100000 tons Of phosphate rock an
nually to offset this depletion in the
4OO.OOO,OO0 acres Of cultivated land
In the United States, without allow
ance for the increase in the area
cultivated or in the agricultural
yield.
There were 100000 tons OF
phosphate rock produced in the
United States in 1907, and Of this
amount 100000 tons. or about 40
per cent, were exported. The phos-
phate rock of South Carolina is near
~ exhausted. the Florida deposits
have reached their maximum. and
although the output of Tennessee de-
posits Is growing. these deposits, Il
fhe increase in the rate of produc.
zion shown in the last decade con.
tinues, will last only about IL years.
There is some phosphate In Arkans-
=. but 1t IL OF low grade. At the
present rate OF mining the known
available supply of high-grade phos-
phate rock In the United States will
lat only about so years, and II the
Increase In production shown during
the last decade continues the sup.
oIy will be exhausted in Is years.
u u therefore evident that the large
deposits Of the public land states
must be depended upon to replen-
fsh the fertility of the farms Of the
Unitsd States. and the only available
nethod Of preventing the acquisition
q these phosphate deposits by for
eagn companies for shipment abroad,
and OF insuring their use on our
own lands. is apparently to retain
the title In the government and lease
the lands under provisions that will
prevent expectations.
the list OF lands to be withdrawn
was furnished by the United States
geological survey as a result OF pre-
ilmtnary examinations made in the
Held. Further work will be done by
the survey as soon as practicable,
Tor the purpose OF making a careful
classification Of the lands and restor-
ing to agricultural entry such portion
as may contain no phosphates.
II Is pointed out by the survey
that the situation OF this Western
held Is most favorable. The smelt-
ers at Butte and Anaconda give of
gases. chiefly sulphurous. which are
very Injurious to vegetation. These
gases can be utilized to great advan-
tage by converting them into sui
phuric acid for the manufacture of
OF superphosphate fertilizer, thus
Transforming substance that IA in
furious to vegetation into one that il
beneficial.