The Ocala evening star., 1915-10-06
REGARDING SOFT PHOSPHATE
(Florida Grower)

Editor Florida Grower: In your is
sue of July oath you published the
following: what do you think of soft
phosphate as an economical fertilizer?
Answer have never used it, and
there is no scientific data on its use
in Florida. The reports from other
states are worthless to US, since their |
soil conditions are so different from
ours. However, you have before you
the verdict of the Florida public. |
Years ago, soft phosphate was used to
quite an extent in field, garden and
grove, especially the grove. Mines
were in operation, and it was common
! in the market. All kinds of crop pro-
! duction increased steadily, but the
| use of soft phosphate died out so that
the mines were all closed for years.
Do you suppose the public dropped a
good thing?"
l know that it is not your intention
to do any one an injustice, and that it
is your desire to be as great benefit
to Florida growers as is possible.
therefore ask the privilege of COM
menting, with the best of feeling, on
this answer.
You state that there is no scientific
data on the use of soft phosphate.
That depends on what is meant by
l"scientific data" If the reports from
some of our best chemists and most
lpractical farmers and orange growers
LOTT
data is in abundance. / refer you to
DIR. H.. G.. Bystra, chemist, of Brooks
vile, Fla His work is accepted not
only in Florida, but in the European
market as final. DR.. Bystra is not only
chemist, but also a practical farmer
and orange grower. His opinion is
> that soft phosphate is unsurpassed
as a source of phosphoric acid for use
, on oranges and all other fruit trees,
and for all crops needing phosphoric
acid. l also refer you to such practical
growers as DIR. w. H. Conibear and
J. Mr. E. L. Kinney, of Lakeland; Mr..
W. A. Fulton of Brooksville; Col.
| Thomas Palmer. c. NJ. Knott and Geo,
n. Benjamin, of Tampa. / could also
: name others by the score who have
G used soft phosphate and prefer it.
Now, as to reports from other
states being worthless" to us on ac-
count of different conditions: If those
reports were from one locality, oI
9 even one state, it might do to say
8 that they were worthless, but wher
V they cover territory from Texas tc
It Massachusetts, including such state:
e as Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsyl
vania. Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode
Island and several others, in fac
nearly all of the states which have
real. practical experimental stations
u then it will not do to say their ther
u opinions are worthless to the grower
= of this state. So far as know, ever!
state which has carried on any exten
- sive experiments with raw or un
treated phosphate recommend 1t II
ls the highest terms. It has been trie'
1t in every character Of soil to be foun'
= in the United States, and has fount
almost universal approval.
As to the soft phosphate mines be
: ing abandoned years ago, / happene
:. to be rather familiar with the cir
Z cumstances connected with that, tn
z was in nowise financially intereste
s in it. In 1892 Cor 1899 Messr!
Z Wilber Mccoy and VI. c. Rerde
= started the phosphate business b
I: opening up the Bonnie May" mines
Z The results from the use of this pro
= duct were phenomenally good. In
!: freeze of 1895, following the depre:
= sion from 1898, completely paralyze
z all industry and closed down not onl
= their mines, but all others who ma
+" entered the field following them. Al