The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-05-09

The production OF potAsu
Industry In which the United sta.ss
does not excel. or even eoual. -
great commercial rival. Germany. In
fact Germany stands alone In that
particular neid Amsrica and prao-
ticaIiy ali the rest Of the world nave
20 depend upon the "Fatheriand' for
their supply of potash. for use IN
chemistry and industry, e6rtcuituro
and horticuiture. This does not mean
that there is no potash In the worid
outside OF Germany. for the soils anu
rocks Of all countries contain more OF
less potash. but II does mean ma.
extensive potash deposits. so IaI %
known. are confined to Germany.
Potash has been known 10 man ana
recognised a. such for many genera
lions. but It was not until the iast
century that potassium was discover
"a 10 be an element Of which Dot
ash n the commonest form. Inc pro
auction Of potash on q large scale
dates back only TO 1881. when mining
operations were begun In the German
potash deposits. These are ioca'eo
near stassfurt. Their discovery "
body's theory that numerous saline
springs in the neighborhood must now
from . subterranean deposit OF sait.
behring's were made and the ricnes.
known deposits OF potash. besides SAT-
and gypsum. were found.
Further investigations have shown
that the bed Of potash at stassfurt ~
from so to 100 feet thick and extenos
over q very large area. There are
deposits Of salt and gypsum overly VERY
feet. These deposits OF mineral wealan
have an Interesting natural history.
ecientiste say that in some prehistoric
age the region about the present SITS
OF stassfurt was covered by the sea.
Then volcanic convulsion occurred
and mountain ranges were heaveo Up
on either side. thus enclosing vass
lagoon. or arm OF the sea
The water IL supposed TO have been
boiling IT that time, as the tempera-
tura Of the earth was very ni6n.
Eykporation was most rapid ana ~
the water In the lagoon turned 10 va
pcr Il was replaced BY more waisE
from the see. After q. time the lagoon
became 30 intensely saline in character
thst the potash, salt and gypsum were
deposited on It's bed. Later the sea
receded and the lagoon compietely
dried up. leaving the existing peds u
potash. etc. 10 be covered by tne VS.
citation and other formations =,
ceeainx ages. Nobody has explained
how or why the sea was 30 full OF
-rotash In prehistoric times. II certain
iy IL not now 80. 40
EVER since the enormous value 4ot'
the 1erman potash deposits became
rnown 10 the world, people In Amer
iaa and other countries have peen
seeking similar deposits In every hke-
.ly place. biologists soy there ~
reason they know of why po.asn
should not exist in large eueh..s
elsewhere than in Germany ou. Gan
nav. NOT yet found 1t, although can
sas ana one OF two lothsr countries
nroaucs small quantities. OF the ma
sral There are few things which arc
not found In the United states. anu
s.r~e deposit OF potash is one OF
tbe,n some years ago NUMBER %
dean wells were sunk In the Louislahs
salt district In the hope OF nhoins
notash mine there. but the
proved unsuccessfui ca.
II may seem natural tnas tn ,s ,.aa
man monopoly In potash ems
- ana creation of what 10 pernApe
the greatest trust IN the world. 80 aai
a. absolute control over a single pEo.
auct ana absence OF competition a.
sa.carraA the potash trust u known
: tha KAN Syndicate. ORGANISED 40
ia7a. A. oontrola practically every con-
earn nat produces potash. LAST yser
nine new mining composites were 49,
ID TO its membership ana IBIS yea
thirteen more new WORKS VIII u
~ onAratfon, The capital OF this c0n-
htnafion is less than $zoo.oo0.0oe.
yrhioh ia small in comparison v&tn tns
eapital Of some great American COT
oorat,ons. II has $4,000 miners Hhe
other employees on its pay ron.
Tha annual sales of potash ag-
~rsgata nearly S26,o00.000 In value ana
the notash trust has agents all over
fhe world exploiting Its product. WITH
a View TO Increasing sales. Az TINS
rate II 10 estimated that even IN case
no other potash deposits are discoveIeu'
the German mines will be aole 70 sup
nIs tns worrI for several centuries.
roiiowinx the approved habit OF
trusts. the Kali Syndicate practices
dtscrirnination In its business. IT ex-
tsnda favors 10 the German trade with
the result that Germany consumes
nearly half of the potash produceo.
America and other countries take what
ia left and on the terms OF the German
syndicate. 1t Is not surprising tnAt
the stock Of sh-producing COM
panies Is popular among German
spectators.
Potashl has many and varied uses
however, 10 for fertilizing purposes
The theory of its effect upon vegeta-
lion IN not exactly understood, but 1t 10
fact that land which 10 poor IN
potash produces bad crops. while the
same land. III thoroughly fertilixed with
potash Will grow excellent crops OF
many things. It IL said that the pres
ence Of much potash in soil In some
mysterious way protects plants grow
ing therein from the ravages or frost.
II also affords drainage in wet
-aofhar retalum moisture in dry
seasons, besides serving as q sort OF
and fungicide.
Perhaps the explanation OF the fer
ttlizing effect OF potash is found in the
fact that 1t has recently been dis
covered to be radio activesseft Is said,
TO throw out the peculiar beta" rays
with considerable velocity which rays,
Il is believed. act as an anti-toxin on
the soil. However. that may be.
potash has q wonderfully vitalizing ef-
feet upon fruit trees flowers and many
crops. Tobacco needs potash. perhaps.
more than any other crop. Dry
tobacco contains forty parts OF potash
in every thousand parts. An acre crop
of tobacco takes seventy pounds OF
potash from the soil II grows in.
Although the resources of American
soils have seemed inexhausttble. enor-
nous quantities OF potash are imported
into this country. chiefly for use in the
Of commercial fertilizers.
The annual imports art little short OF
$4,000 pounds. worth nearly half
million dollars.
Scientists have calculated that fer
tile soil contains about per cent OF
potash. An acre OF arabic soil one
foot deep will weigh nearly 100000
pounds. At that rate THERE are nearly
10, 900 pounds of potash in an acre Of