Evening star., 1914-09-26
stun. caustic potash and other potash
DO

SUM, causttc potash and other potash
compounds.
During the last three years the an
nual imports of these salts have aver
about 635.000.0 900
Quantity and Value pounds in guam
.er r tity, and $11,-
These figures, however, do not include
the imports Of kainite and manure
salts which are used in fertilizers I'M
port Of materials of this class dur
ing the last three years has averaged
about 100000 tons. valued at $4,000, 900,
annually. Thus the value of the an
nual import of potash salts for con-
sumption in this country exceeds $15,-
900. 900.
Government authorities explain that
outside OF Germany there is no known
source of potash salts, and that II the
German supplies are cut OF during
the European war the agricultural
world must either go without potash
salts or find and develop some other
source of supply. 1t is apparent that
the sudden wiping out of a fifteen-mil-
lion dollar import of a product that
cannot be substituted by home prod
uct must work some considerable hard
ship and disturbance.
Many endeavors have been made in
the last few years to start this coun-
salts. A number Of processes have been
worked out and patented for the ex-
traction of potash from feldspar, a
common rock formation. From the
feldspar source an inexhaustible guam
tity of potash might be obtained, al
though in not anywhere near such
high quality as that mined by the Ger
mans. One method worked out by the
Institute Of Industrial Research Of the
District of Columbia has been tried In
the production of potash in CONNER
cial quantities from feldspar. The
product contains between 8 and per
cent of potash with q considerable con-
tent Of lime. and it may be manufac-
tured in large quantities for somewhat
less than IS a ton. It is said to be a
satisfactory potash fertilizer.
Moreover, there is a good deal of
doubt as to what degree supply of
potash is urgent to the American
farmer. Fertilizers are not nearly SO
generally used on the farms Of this
country as is the case in Europe. This
Is. OF course, no good reason for sup
posing that they are not needed. Still,
according to government studies. much
of the soil contains potash salts in
sufficient quantities for many years of
harvests.
The Illinois agricultural experiment
station reports the potash contents OF
upland prairie soils
Illinois Soils at $4,000 pounds
Are Very Rich. land ne A'fe' at 'ss.a $1,000
pounds per acre and subsoil, plowed
to depth of thirteen inches, at $4,000
pounds per acre. In the same report,
the amounts of potash which the vari-
Gus crops withdraw for each acre are
given. These figures show that wheat
takes So pounds of potash per acre,
corn, 73 pounds; oats, 6s pounds, and
clover hay. 120 pounds. These figures
would seem to indicate that the Ameri-
can farmer has little need to lie awake
nights worrying about the held-up
supplies Of German potash. though all
of the agricultural soils may not be as
rich In this ingredient as those studied
making the potash of the soil available
to the plants.
The ocean seaweed, known al kelp
holds an inexhaustible store Of potash
salts. Before the discovery OF the
rich German mines, the world depended
largely for its potash upon the ocean
supplies. The kelp industry was large
ly in the hands Of the French. There
are a number of American companies
for the production of potash from kelp
in operation upon the Pacific coast
Several of these companies are recent
ventures. There are vast beds of giant
kelp. rich in potash, within easy reach.
AT least one % these concerns merely