Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-04-08
ash scrap, which would have value
Of about $1,2OO,0O0 for. fertilizer puE~

very small percentage OF the nitrates
imported from the Chilean beds goes
into fertilizers. being mainly incor.
porated In special brands for green.
house and trucking purposes This
item alone, therefore, will not cause
much embarrassment to American
farmers. . g"
ey-Product Of Coal.
One of the most important sources
Of nitrogen for commercial fertilizer
purposes is ammonium sulphate. This
is produced as by-product in the de.
structive distillation of coal for the
preparation of coke. The nitrogen
contained in the coal is evolved as am.
monia and is caught and neutralized
with sulphuric acid. Formerly ell coke
was made in the beehive oven. which
did not provide for the confinement OF
the combustible gases produced. These
were burned as ev olved and the am.
monia carried by them was likewise
lost. The domestic production OF am.
monium sulphate from tie coke oven is
only one.fiftb Of what it could be were
the beehive oven entirely displaced by
more modern types. During the past
few years there has been q slow tran.
sition from the use OF the Beehive
oven. 1t is not imperative, therefore,
to resort to extreme measures to in.
crease the production OF ammonia.
Another source Of nitrogen is found
in garbage. The Investigations of the
bureau of soils indicate that II the
garbage of all cities having a popula
ton OF 10000 and over were converted
into garbage tankage, the product
would be worth for fertilizer purposes
at least $3,500,00O. In view OF the
present situation, immediate steps
should be taken by all municipalities
to conserve the garbage and to make
it available for use in the fertilizer
trade. =
The bureau Of soils is studying also
the problem of the fixati0n OF atmOs.
pheric nitrogen with view to develop
a method for the production OF am.
monium phosphate and other forms Of
concentrated fertilizers. No ammoni.
UNI phosphate is being made in this
country at the present time. II cheap
water power, phosphate rock, coal, and
limestone can be found In accessible
localities, the possibility of making
this material on q commercial scale II
considered entirely feasible, The
greatest difficulty here is to discover
cheap water power, at points, where
phosphate rock. coal, and limestone
are readily available. The department
is making every effort to locate avail.
able sources of developed water power
which can be used in the manufacture
: Of ammonium phosphate and other fer.
tilizers. y
It must not be understood that the
suggestions which have been made, or
the efforts which are now being put
forth, will result In Immediate relief
for farmers. There Is 20 number Of
technical problems which have to be
solved II these fertilizerst sre~to be
produced; on commercial scale, and.
even II thea:funds for tha necessary
plants were provided, either from pri.
yate or public sources, considerable
time necessarily would be required for
the erection of the plants and for their
full operation.
Save Fertilizer Elements.
In the unusual conditions existing
in the fertilizer trade, it is important
that all fertilizing materials on the
farm, especially those containing pot.
ash, should be conserved. /, The fer.
tilizer ingredients already existing In
the soil should be utilized and devel.
0ped to the fullest extent A great
deal can be accomplished in this di.
rection by deep blowing, constant cuI.
tivation, and thorough tillage. There
should be proper system of rotation.
Especially where one crop has been
grown for several years q different
one should be planted this year. Green
manures and cover crops should be
used as much as possible in their
proper rotation.
OF the organic substances, manure,
both solid and liquid, is the most i'm.
portant and should be utilized where.
ever possible. All material of an or.
ganic nature, such as leaves and bed.
ding Of various sorts, should be com.
posted and the compost applied to the
soil. Special attention should be given
also to the conservation of wood.ashes.
Depending on the character Of the
wood, they contain potash in quaint.
ties varying ordinarily from three to
ten per cent. All tree trimmings,
brush cuttings, ETC., should be burned
and the ashes derived therefrom util.
lied. sa
The application of lime to many
soils is of undoubted benefit Though
the availability of the fertilizing ele.
ments in the soil may not be greatly
increased by it's use, the resulting
Improvement in physical and bacterial
conditions may increase considerably
the productiveness of the soil.
Farmer Buried Alive.
Warsaw, Ind.-Martin Greenbaum, q
farmer, narrowly escaped death under
strawstack. Cattle had burrowed In