Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-09-10

usually present in much larger guam
titles than other constituents OF plant
food that are likely to be deficient;
and vet SO much of it may be so
securely held by the soil PARTICLES
that the application of compare"
lively small quantity of soluble pot
ash will often increase the yield. II
lime is abundant it tends to liDer-
ate" potash, making it more readily
accessible to plants" f. o. Fippln'
Circular 7, Cornell University Agrl-
cultural Experiment Station:-
two important constituents whose
direct availability from the soil par
ticles is most affected by lime are
potash and phosphorus. A large
array of figures aid observations show
that lime liberates potash in an avail
able form in the soil. Probably the
most representative figures on this
point are those of Frear of Pennsyl-
vania, who found on nine soils OF
widely different character, an increase
in the availability of potash ranging
from 6 per cent on muck to % per
cent on red shale clay. The average
for the nine soils was % per cent,
equivalent to go pounds potassium
Der acre. Frear found on the same
nine soils in Pennsylvania on which
the availability of potash was deter
mined, that POO bushels of lime per
acre increased the availability of
phosphorus from l6 per cent on muck
to $40 per cent on a limestone clay;
in only one case--that OF black
shale-was its availability decreased.
The average increase ON eight soils
was 43 per cent, equivalent to lao
pounds per acre. From this and
other Investigations, it is clear that
the use of lime is especially desirable
on soils rich in iron and aluminium
but low in lime. The net result OF
the use of lime is equivalent, there
fore, to the application of potash and
phosphate fertilizers to the soil, not
to mention the market influence on
nitrates. 1t may be remarked fur
ther that this is entirely legiti nate,
as the soil store of food, while not to
be wasted, is not to be boarded; it
is to be used wisely.'
1t should be of special interest to
the reader that large section OF the
south is particularly blessed with
large soil reserves of potash which by
simple application of lime can be
coined into understandable food pro-
ducts. | refer to the Piedmont sec
ton from Maryland to Georgia. The
blood red soils of this territory are
derived from the decomposition OF
granite and other igneous rocks and
contain relatively enormous quantl-
ties of potash in an insoluble form.
1t is worthy of note that in case OF a
prolonged failure of the German pot
ash supply and in case our geologlsts
fail to locate deposits in this country
there are still sources of supply avail
able-at a price.
Through the southern Appalachains
there are immense quantities OF field
spar, a mineral which contains a
large percentage of potash in insol-
uble form. Processes are available
for the extraction of this potash and
it would not be surprising if, under
the incentive of the present high
price, one or more of these processes
would be brought to the stage of
commercial operation. There are
also certain by-products from which
some potash might, in pinch, be
derived. The hue dust from cement
kilns for example contains this ele-
ment, and it is therefore true that
while the dust from cement plants is
highly disagreable in towns and vii
lagos, it is of direct benefit to near
nv apriculturists,