The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-18
UNCLE SAM HELPS
FERTILIZER MEN
The Waters of the Ocean Furnish
the Best of Organic
Nitrogen.
IMMENSE INDUSTRY ON COAST
Great Quantities of Material
Wastcd-Thc Value of the
Menhaden Recognized.
IMMENSE INDUSTRY ON COAST
Especial to The rlmes-D,spntch.l

nj
Washington, January lin helping
the manufacturers OF soil fertilizers
to increase their output, the United
States Department of Agriculture 10.
lieves that the interests of the farmer
are enhanced. The uso of fertilizers
to supply nitrogen to the soil is of
continually increasing Importance to
oui agricultural population. Fish re-
fuse has proved an important source
or organic nitrogen for fertilizing pur-
poses. and the necessity OF preparing
IT In commercial form has led tn the
development Of the nshscrap industry
In our Atlantic States.
There are at present about forty fac
tories on the Atlantic coast, whose main
output Is fish scrap and fish oil manu-
factured from the menhaden. These
are found all the way from Maine to
Florida The business reached its
high-water mark as long ago as 1884.
and the profits since have never been
So great. owing to the reduced price
OF oil and scrap. resulting from the
competition OF other products. This
is true Notwithstanding the improve
ments that have been made in the
methods OF industry. The annual out
put In oil and scrap has not varied
greatly from 10000 tons of scrap and
$4,000 barrels of oil during the past
thirty years. There has been no
growth In the recent past which would
warrant belief In a growth In the
future. However,. there seems every
probability OF steady demand for
this fertilizer.
Fish Ground Into Fertilizer
Tho great success which fish SCRAP
has met with as O fertilizer Is due In
part to the fact that besides contain
Ing nitrogen, 1t furnishes organic mat
ter to tho soil which inorganic ferti-
lizers do not do. Ammonium sulphate,
an inorganic substance. a by-product
of coke ovens. supplies almost 90 per
cent OF the nitrogen used as fertilizer
In this country.
Should there be a sudden Improve
ment In the coking process by which
all the ammonia liberated In the old
fern OF coking oven may BIO recovered,
this amount would be more than
enough to supply all the fertilizer
trade. In that case the preparation
OF hsh-scrap would become CONNER
cially infeasible. but it Is much more
probable that the Increase In the out
put OF ammonium sulphate will keep
pace merely with the growing demand
and that there will be o continued de-
mand for fish scrap.
The menhaden Is not generally con-
stdered edible. because 1t Is too bony,
or too oily" However. the menhaden
when freshly caught and properly
cooked. Is good to eat. although not
50 choice as certain other fish easily
obtained. As tho cost OF food increases
and sea nsh arc used for economys
sake 10 replace more expensive meata
there undoubtedly will be an increase
In tho use Of the monhaden for food.
The inenhaden has actually been pre-
pai cd as are sardines. and has been
declared complete success when so
used A NEAR extract has also been
made from this fish. equal In nutritive
Vaiue to that OF beof While this food
mas been known for many years. tina
process OF extraction has failed to
develop on a commercial scale. While
there Is no indication at present that
consumption of menhaden Is on tho
increase. the shortage OF other food
supplies might increase the demand.
and this would BIO matter OF import
anco for the hsh-scrap industry
Valuable Material Wasted.
The waste from such fish as arc now
generaily eaten, forms n possible adj
dttional source OF fish scrap. In tho
dressing OF fish tho waste representa
an average OF 25 per cent OF tho
round" weight OF the fish, The yearly
catch OF food fish in the Atlantic and
Gulf fisheries Is about 700.G00.G0l
pounds. Twenty-Five per cent OF th3s \.
represents refuse suitable fortl,e pr6p-
aration Of fertilizer. y considesabie
for the Gsheries are
the whole length OF tic COAST
and many Ash are shipped to markets
and much fresh hsh that
Continued on Fifth Pago> -SI
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