Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1916-03-24
CONFRONTED WITH SERIOUS
PROBLEM IN FERTILIZER SHORTAGE
Secretary Agriculture Makes Statement Regarding the Supply
Of Potash Phosphate and Ntrogen-mportaon Of Potash
Is Cut Off as Result Of European War-ConseNation
Of Fertilizer Material Is Recommended


terprise will provide potash from do
nestle sources for agricultural pur.
poses in time. It would require nine
ty or more plants, costing approx
mately $4,000 and having an operating
capital of about s25 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 II
the requisite funds we're available, II
is a 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-
slider possibilities Of production on a
commercial scale.
The Phosphate Situation.
Acid phosphate is the basis of near
ly all commercial mixed fertilizers.
II is made by the action of sulphuric
acid upon phosphate rock. Our avail
able sources OF phosphate rock are
greater than those of any other ma
ton. The main supply for domestic
consumption and for expectation
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 Eu-
rope. The rock in its natural state
is not readily absorbed as plant
food. It is made available for this
purpose by treatment with sulphuric
acid, about one ton of the acid being
used to a ton of phosphate rock. When
thus treated, a super-phosphate con-
tanning Ia to IS per cent of water
soluble phosphoric acid is made. The
bulk Of the sulphuric acid which en-
tiers into the manufacture Of acid phos.
plate is made by fertilizer companies.
Practically every fertilizer establish
ment Excepting the cottonseed meal
factories) having an annual capacity
of $4,000 tons or more operates also
q 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
acid plants in connection with their
smelters. The fumes discharged into
the atmosphere by these shelters are
sufficient to produce many thousands
of tons OF sulphuric acid daily. Under
normal conditions, the limited marke
for the acid and the long haul neces
sary to reach the market have made
II commercially impracticable to con
vert the fumes into sulphuric acid.
Involves Big Outlay.
The erection OF acid plants Of SUI
ficient capacity to convert the smelte
/ gases would involve an outlay OF a
, least several million dollars. Unde
normal conditions II would take fou
months to complete the plants. II
, the present situation. at least 81
months would be required. The bu
, reau of soils estimates that sulphur
, acid could be made by some Of tn
! western smelling plants at approx
, mately one-half the normal cost OF pre-
ducing the acid In the East wher
: pyrites are used. The saving In cost G
|, manufacture In the West. however
!. would be partly Offset by the lon
haul necessary to bring the acid I
|. the eastern market.
A In view of the difficulties In the wa
g of the production and utilization
h sulphuric acid for fertilizer purpose
= the bureau of soils has endeavore
Il to develop a commercial method. II
d volving the use of the electric fu
n mace. for manufacturing phosphori
O acid, which can be used as subsi
q tute. Through this method doubl
n super-phosphate, which will contain
a to so per cent of water-soluble pho
a phoric acid, or the still more conce
r. tfaeed form OF ammonium phosphat
i could be secured. But the use of Il
= electric furnace for the purpose
= commercially feasible only whel
a phosphate rock coal, and cheap waite
!, power are readily available. The d
- partment is investigating this matt
:. to ascertain whether there are loct
= tiles where these conditions exist al
- where, therefore. double super-pho
y plate may be made. ,err rvs
a. The Nitrogen Situation.
e. The nitrogen situation is OF le
!, pressing concern. Cottonseed me
forms the bulk OF the heterogeneous 81
stances entering into commercial Il
~ tilizers. The amount available (
" fertilizer use is dependent upon h
n annual production OF cotton and Il
r. demand for the meal for feeding stuff
Or The supply of dried blood and tar
re age, also sources of heterogeneous N
Id terial, is dependent upon the numb
or of animals slaughtered. Only Il
C. large packing concerns conserve the
ly products, which are now used to
It. considerable extent as cattle feed
I'd well as for fertilizer purposes.
as vestigations OF the bureau OF 80
i'll have shown that there is a lar
Auh ~