The Detroit times., 1913-01-18
v

Copyright 1913. by Herbert ouicll
1t Is the cloverplant and It's brethren the peas,
beans. afaifas and the like that VIII save the
engers on the good ship Earth from being obliged to
go crsading in search OF soils provided with nitrogen
We considered that in our last Let us now see about
potassium.
the large problems OF the world concretely as pos
sible We are all in the boaJ-that must not De
forgotten. We Passengers IN a huge ship DRIVING
through space as OF Zeppeins airshlps drive
through air save that we know what guides us,
and that spin like curved baseball, and whiri
round and round the from which, by wireless trans
mission over the nnetyhve millions OF miles or space
which separates from our planetary control We
get our light. heat and power
the boat-we ourselves made from the dust on the
planking OF her decks We divided up into nations,
Clans tribes classes and races but we are all
ants OF the decks OF the ship Earth Looked AT as an
original Question what are our rights and what
duties fellow Passengers and the great properly
for the Ship Is really our property-whch our chill
dren must be made Of and live upon!
either on plants other animals which have been
made of plants-plants which break out In green
rash all over decks OF the old boat And that there
are ten things which be found in any soil before
that soil nourish pants-eyery one OF the Ten
carbon hydrogen oxygen phosphorus. potassium nitro
gen sulphur calcium, iron and magnesium. Of these
there are only three four that need give us any
Ssh1s SULPHUR Not that these are any more nee
essary than the other six seyen but that they are
the that are scarce ana the USING ny ~ mno a
would put end the human race by putting an END
to vegetation.
We have that there was once scare lot rear
that the nitrogen would be exhausted; and that
we discovered that bacteria the roots OF certain
plants of the clover tribe taking 1t from the air
all the time when given chance. and storing It In
the soil SO that scare ended
Let look into the hold or the snip ana see
how we are supplied with potassium
But first what Is potassium? II Il the element
which gives it's name to potash-which anyone may
make from the lye OF wood ashes. II Is found In the
ashes OF any field crop, when tho plant ts burned
a. plain then II 1t IL a part OF every one OF these
plas that IL exist where the plant can reach It,
or no crop can grow. Potassium II not found In the
air as Is ntrogen-so be obtained from the soil
In the grain OF hundredbushel crop OF corn. there
are 10 pounds of potassium An average soil contains
enough at this rate make $500 crops. No need to
worry then? Well Is any less serious for the race to
end for lack OF $500 than in one hundred
Or be sent crusadng and Staying after new lands In
the wear A. D. 10000 rather than A. ID. 1000! IL We
are wasting what the Passengers must some day need
does II make any real difference that We shall not De
nresent to witness their sueringsf 1t does not seem
so to me- l think should be az alive to suffering In
Fnrope or Asia today, II 1t in the next room;
and as solicitous for the happiness OF The world
passengers thousand years hence as next week Es-
neciaIly as our acts make for against that happi
ness. -,
There are many lands now which need potas-
stun We import millions Of dollars OF 1t annually AS