Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-13

reduce materially next years food crops
of the United States
Potash Supply because of stopping
for Fertilizing. the potash supply
needed for fertilizers are not to be taken
too seriously, according to experts of the
United States Department Of Agriculture.
Uncle Sans scientists say that It will
be necessary, however. for farmers in
this country to adopt other methods OF
Increasing the soil fertility and not to
stop even for single season In the work
OF trying to Increase the yield per acre
on every farm on which fertilizer has
been used in the past.
Reports which have come to the De-
partment Of Agriculture show that 1t
Is true that approximately only one
third Of next years supply of potash
has been landed in this country and
that the further shipments are cut off
Indefinitely because of the war. As Is
generally known, Germany is today the
only source of supply of the potash
which is necessary for use in fertilizing
the soil in many parts of this country,
particularly in the eastern and southern
states. The United States imported last
year more than 100000 tons of potash
saits. valued at more than $11, OOO, 900.
The principal crops depending on pot
ash as fertilizer in this country are
vegetables. fruits and cotton. Grain
crops do not demand potash fertilizer,
except IN few sections. Cotton grow
ers today are using approximately so
per cent of the potash which is import
ea INTO the United States. The cutting
on OF the potash supply, according to
the government farm scientists. will
result in teaching many farmers how to
oo without potash by substituting other
Methods of fertilizing their land and at
the same time will also stimulate Ameri-
cans IN the effort to produce domestic
supply of potash salts.
Soil which has been improved hv the
use or commercial fertilizer Is often bet
Ter. according to Department of Agri-
culture experts, for one or more years
use OF natural fertilizer. such as straw
ana leaves of plants plowed into the
OF 1act, In some parts of the country
Worn-out farms have been made fertile
ana productive entirely by the use of
natural fertilizer. The largest yield of
cotton ever recorded in the United States,
for instance was produced by an litter
ate negro, an ex-slave, farming in CEN
tral Alabama. The accomplishments of
this farmer, Sam Mccall, who is now
more than seventy-six years old, have
Deen studied by the government. because
the old man has succeeded in developing
method of cultivation on once worth
less land in Alabama by which he has
been able to grow bale of cotton on
one-etghth Of an acre of land. This is
considered most important achieve
nent in view of the fact that the aver
age yield for the whole United States is
only two-fifths of bale for whole acre.
With his record crops, Mccall makes a
living farming only two acres Of land,
and uses only natural fertilizer, blowing
the stalks and leaves Of his crop back
into the soil to form humus.
Manufacturers of commercial fertilizers
do not view the cutting off of the potash
supply with great alarm. They have in
this country now about one-third the
amount of potash salts used in the fer
lieved that the method to be followed out
will be to encourage the use of acid
phosphates and more nitrates for fer
tilizer.
The plan Of producing domestic pot
ash supply has been the dream of both
scientists and capitalists in the United
States for many years. Some of the
sources considered have been the deposits
Of mineral known as alunite. which IS
widely distributed in the United States.
and is found in large quantities In Colo
RADIO, California, Arizona. Nevada. and
Utah. There are also many deposits OF
feldspars and other rocks in the United
States which contain potash. Quantities
have also been taken from desert basins
in number Of the western states. none
Of the attempts to produce commercially
potash salts in this country, however.
has been successful.
One of the most important sources of
potash supply is the Pacific coast sea-
weed known as the giant kelp. 1nvestio
CATION has shown that there are 4oo
square miles of this seaweed, which can
be harvested in quantities which are sui
ficieht to produce quantities Of potash
equal to more than six times the present
demand of the farmers Of the uni, re
States. The work of developing this re,
source. however, is in the experimental!
stage, and it is believed probable that, If
the war continues long. Congress VIII
direct one of the departments TO lnvesu-
gate methods and cost of producing
domestic potash supply. from these keip
beds of the Pacific coast