The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-10-30
No Danger OF
Potash Famine
Ample Domestic Supply Discov-
cred, and Price Will Fall.
(Auburnda New Era

49," '~Aof
Surely this is the day Of the
optimist, and those who in the
dark days OF last year sat steady
in the boat as Mrs. Prange adj
vised, and insisted everything
would turn out all right, have
their chance to raise their voices
in the gladstone ululation OF Il
told you So"
1t did look serious to Florida
growers when the chief supply OF
potash, in Germany, was cut off
by the war, for this is the one ele-
ment of plant food that our soils
most lack. Prices wen Zeppel-
ing upward, until the wags had
some excuse for suggesting that
gold and silver dust might be
used instead of potash in fertil-
izer mixtures. But by using a
smaller percentage of potash and
by applying lime to help make
available the reserve supply in
the soil, growers have raised just
as good crops as ever this year,
at practically no extra expense.
And now, before the reserve is
exhausted. comes the news that
a domestic supply is available, as
the following dispatch tells:
Washington, Oct. I7.-Secre-
tary Lane today announced the
production of the first commercial
mineral potash in the United
States.
This country is therefore no
longer dependent on Germany for
any quantity of potash SO neces-
sary in the manufacture of ex-
plosives and used largely as agri
cultural fertilizers. A special
agent of the geological survey
located the potash in a vein of
mineral known as alunite in Piute
County, Utah. The vein is ten
feet wide and has been traced for
$500 feet. Its depth is unknown.
The discovery of this mineral
potash in commercial quantities
Secretary Lane regards as one of
the most important discoveries
made recently with reference to
natural resources, as it assures
domestic supply of potash for
national need in manufacture of
explosives.
Aluntie is known to exist in the
states of Colorado, Utah, Nevada,
California and Arizona.
The Interior Department also
is drilling at various points in the
United States in search for depos-
its of potash like those OF Ger
many.
Should alunite deposits of
similar character be found in
large quantities in other states.
its significance to the agriculture
of this country can hardly lie
overestimated, as it is an essen
tial soil food and will re-establish
from year to year the draught
made upon the potash in the soil
by the crops produced.
Statistics show that the i'm
ports of potassium salts from
Germany amounted to SI5,oo,ooo
in 1913, the last year in which
figures are available.
The importance OF this discov-
cry to the farmers of this country
can scarcely be overestimatcd
There is hardly a section OF the
entire United States where it has
not been found that a small APP
plication of proper chemical fer
tilizers will not increase the yield
many times its cost. Its use in
the form of chlorate of potash i'll
explosives, while valuable if we
ever get into war, really takes
second place far to the rear.
1t will probably be some little
time before new mines are pro-
ducing in sufficient quantities to
lower the price, but the lowering
will come in time, And when the
war is over and Germany seeks
to regain her markets and dispose
of her accumulated surplus.
prices will be slashed to the low
est limits ever known. OF
course there will be war between
the domestic and foreign produc-
ers and probably some tariff
monkey business, but about that
Eve should worry" Either way
If ends we stand to win. Cheap
potash and plenty of IT IS now a