The log cabin Democrat., 1916-04-03
FARMERS CONFRONTED WITH SERIOUS
 PROBLEM IN FERTILIZER SHORTAGE
Secretary of Agriculture Makes Statement Regarding the Supply of Potash, Phosphate and Nogen-mportaton of Potash Is Cut Off as Result of European War-Conservaion
 of Fertilizer Material Is Recommended

also seems improbable that private en- terprise will provide potash from do- mestic sources for agricultural pur- poses in time. It would require nine ty or more plants. costing approxi- mately $50,000 and having an operating capital of about $25, 900 each to produce the quantity needed for agriculture. This would involve the assumption that the commercial phases of the prob lem were satisfactorily solved. Even if the requisite funds were available, it is question whether operations could begin in time to provide an ade- quate supply for the coming year The department is Investigating all as- poets of the question and is planning to send experts to California to study the situation and especially to con- sider possibilities of production on a commercial scale.
 The Phosphate Situation.
 Acid phosphate is the basis of near ly all commercial mixed fertilizers It is made by the action of sulphuric
 
 able sources of phosphate rock are greater than those of any other na- tion. The main supply for domestic consumption and for exportation comes from Tennessee, South Caro- lima and Florida.
 In 1914, 2,734,000 tons of phosphate rock were produced in this country Up to that year about one-half the quantity mined was exported to Flu rope. The rock in it's natural state is not readily absorbed as a plant food. It is made available for this purpose by treatment with sulphuric acid, about one ton of the acid being used to ton of phosphate rock. When thus treated, super phosphate con taining IA to Is per cent of water soluble phosphoric acid is made. The bulk of the sulphuric acid which en- ters into the manufacture of acid phos- phate is made by fertilizer companies Practically every fertilizer establish ment (excepting the cottonseed meal factories) having an annual capacity of l5,0O0 tons or more operates also sulphuric acid plant. The demand for the acid is so strong at present that every effort is being made to utilize old and abandoned establish ments and to erect new plants.
 The potential sources of sulphuric acid in the United States are ample to produce more than double the pres ent annual output. Few of the lead, zinc, or copper smelling companies using sulphide ores have sulphuric smelters. The fumes discharged into the atmosphere by these smelters are sufficient to produce many thousands of tons of sulphuric acid daily. Under normal conditions, the limited market for the acid and the long haul neces- sary to reach the market have made it commercially impracticable to con- vert the fumes into sulphuric acid
 Involves Big Outlay.
 The erection of acid plants of suf- ficient capacity to convert the shelter gases would involve an outlay of at least several million dollars Under normal conditions it would take four months to complete the plants. In the present situation, at least six months would be required The bu- reau of soils estimates that sulphuric acid could be made by some of the western smelting plants at approxi- mately one-half the normal cost of pro- ducing the acid in the East where pyrites are used. The saving in cost of manufacture in the West, however, would be partly offset by the long haul necessary to bring the acid to the eastern market.
 In view of the difficulties in the way of the production and utilization of sulphuric acid for fertilizer purposes, the bureau of soils has endeavored to develop a commercial method, in- volving the use of the electric fur mace, for manufacturing phosphoric acid, which can be used as a substi- ute. Through this method double super-phosphate, which will contain 40 to 50 per cent of water-soluble phos- phoric acid, or the still more concen- trated form of ammonium phosphate, could be secured But the use of the electric furnace for the purpose Is commercially feasible only where phosphate rock. coal, and cheap water power are readily available The de partment is Investigating this matter to ascertain whether there are local ities where these conditions exist and where, therefore. double super-phos- phate may be made.
 The Nitrogen Situation.
 The nitrogen situation is of less pressing concern. Cottonseed meal forms the bulk of the nitrogenous sub stances entering into commercial fer. tilizers. The amount available for fertilizer use is dependent upon the annual production of cotton and the demand for the meal for feeding stuffs. The supply of dried blood and tank. age. also sources of nitrogenous ma. terial, is dependent upon the number