Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-15
NATURES LABORATORY
W0Rk|NG FOR VIRGINIA
Vast Quantities OF Fresh Water MARI
Is Prepared to Make Its
Farms Fertile.
IS COST is VERY SMALL
Almost Inexf,austible Supply Found
IN Valley Of Virginia, and Only
Awaits Use for Agricultural Pur-
poscs-Permanent Benefit to Soil.
BT DIR. l.. a. SCHUBERT,
NTiuerRlogtst.

IN DH. IL. ~. sCHObEtI,
NIineraioRist.
.SSAt the present time there is a great
demand for material either Of pure
chemical composition or mechanical
mixture that can be applied to the soil
Z and accelerate plant growth, as we'll
4,as permanently enrich the soil.
-. During the past five years there has
.been an increasing interest in products
that would permanently restore the
isoil and aid in plant growth of sucl, n
character that would add vegeta bic
matter and nitrogen TO our farm lands
switch are being rapidly depleted.
Among these products may be men
toned potash, soda. cynnimids, burnt
lime, ground limestone. phosphate rock
and mari.
STATE Is VERY RICH
IN DEPOSITS OF NARI
This article will be confined to tho
subject Of mari, for the reason that in
the state of Virginia we find more ami
larger deposits or this material than
,the Union. In order fully to under
stand the meaning OF mari. II may be
said that II has reference to an ac-
:cumulation and breaking down Of
'myriads OF marine animals OF cal
.careous age, which through the ages
have been acted upon by the acids and
,other elements. thereby preserving In
available form the calcium carbonate
and other d-improving elements and
compounds. This has special reference
TO what generally is termed the green
sand shell marls found in the COASTAL
,,or Tidewater plain OF Virginia, and
covering an area OF perhaps 5000
square miles. Now. il should not be
understood that all OF this area is
.underlaid with deposits of the afore-
named marls. The green sand usually
is found near the banks and deltas OF
FORMER bays and streams This is what
may be termed residual, and is found
I'm beds covering a few square rods to
400 or more acres, and in thickness
IRON few inches TO 100 feet or more.
This is low In calcium carbonate.
ranging from 20 to 40 per cent, and is
usually orerlaid with clay and loam to
n depth OF from five to fifty feet
The shell marls are of n more recent
age. and are found exposed on tho
banks of the Nansemond, James, York,
Rappahannock and other rivers empty
ing into the Chesapeake Bay. These
beds are we'll preserved. and carry a
lime content ranging from 10 to So
per cent. and on account OF the de-
type OF marine life. II not only car
ries the lime in carbonate, but In phos-
phate form as well. There are many
millions OF tons OF this material
throughout the coastal area or Virginia
In this article desire to discuss
tspeciau! tne tilrd class. OF what l
term fresh water mari. This, In the
sense Of the two kinds referred TO above
rs not mari, since the origin IL not
due direct TO the deposits of large
quantities OF marine shelly OF calcar-
;eops age. but belongs to an earlier
limcstones OF the Valley OF Virginia
True. all limestone Is composed OF
myriads OF calcarcous marine life, but
All limestone Is not of the same age
Tho so-called fresh water marls are
found throughout the Shenandoah VAL
ley. and have their origin In the strata
OF limestone found to the south and
east of the ridge or remnants which
are left In place of the Mnssnnutten
Mountain. These fresh water marls arc
rornd In springs having their origin
IN the escarpmcnt mentioned above. and
break out through certain strata OF
limestone found In tho area indicated.
Y The composition of this fresh water
mari Is nothing more than precipi-
tated calcium carborane In either
crystalline or granular form, or both.
Thus the chemical analyses Of The
specimens taken from these beds,
where not contaminated with organic
matter. shows a very pure limestone,
as evidenced by tho analyses OF sam
pies taken from different deposits
throughout the Valley. as follows:
montgomery County.
Iron and alum oxide. .76
Calcium carbonate. e435
Magnesium carbonate. l.20
Calcium phosphate .o7s
ROckbridge County.
silica ................... ......... EOS
Iron and aluminium oxide. So
Calcium carbonate. *se.7O
Magnesium carbonate. ...... -. ::-l.9s
buckingham County.
Iron and aluminium oxide 20
Calcium carbonate. 97T5
Magnesium carbonate. .73
The use OF fresh water mari is iden-
teal with that or limestone OF similar
composition. II Is peculiarly adapted
TO the manufacture OF high grade
chemicals requiring n very fr!ablc and
readily soluble limestone. 1t can be
used for industrial purposes wherever
limestone or the products OF limestone
are applicable-such as furnace fux, in
steel plants. glass works, In the manu-
facture of cement, lime and water
softeninG plants and every other uso
TO which the calcium products are ap-
piled in the industrinls
However,. In my opinion, the princ-
pal use for the frcsh-watc- mari is
for agricultural purposes. 1t Is gen
orally understood that limestone and
It's several products is a new discovery,
SO Tar as agricultural application 10
concerned. This is no, correct SINS
in continental Europe for 500 years or
more. The application OF green sand
and shell mail has been In vogue In
New jersey and Eastern Virginia for
100 years or more. Ground limestone
and burnt lime have been used by the
farmers OF Lancaster and other conn
ties OF Eastern Pennsylvania ever since
Revolutionary times. but for some rea-
son, from ABOUT the year 1850 20 early
IN the twentieth century, the applica-
ton OF limestone and Its several pro.
ducts was lost to the farm and tho
farming industry.
When 1T Ia considered that SO high
grade product as the frcsh-watcr
mari. and ono SO readily available by
the elements OF tho soil, is being pre-
pared In natures laboratory IN Vir-
ginia, then there is no occasio why
The farmer should not use many thou.
Year.
in my opinion. tne time is not far
distant when every fertilizer n,anufac-