The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-08-09

Americas greatness nave peon bhS | utilization of the by-products Of in- | dustry and the development of tertil- l izinR clements from sources other than farm animals. One has brought about the conservation of billions of wealth annually from materials that only a generation or two ago were counted 0 nuisance, and their dispo- sal a weighty expense. The other has brought forth other billions from the soil and has saved the countrys rich lands from the depletion that otherwise must have followed the feeding of a population that has grown faster than the nations farms, besides supplying the worlds deficits. And the relations of these gigantic enterprises are almost romantic, for either would be all but impossible without the other.
 Tn most industries the raw mate rials used must be carefully selected both with respect to composition and purity. The fertilizer industry, how ever, is an exception. There are al- so no definite regulations with re- spect to purity except that the fertil- izing clements must be present in available form. The variations in
 
 is therefore very great and for this reason so many by-products of indus tries find ultimate disposal in the manufacture of fertilizers
 William H. Ross, a scientist of the Department of Agriculture, describ- ing his search for new sources of fer tilizing elements, points to a striking illustration of the change in value which product may undergo in the utilization of certain woods, as the oak and the hemlock. In the early development of the country the barks Of these trees was the only source of tannln for the manufacture of leath- CT. In many places the collection of bark brought profits and greatly ex- ceeded those obtained from the re- mainder of the tree, which was al- lowed to decay or destroyed in clear ing the land.
 At present the demand for wood products is much greater than the supply. All tops of trees, slabs, edg- ings and the sawdust in particular are used for different purposes, as when destructiYely distilled for the preparation of many chemical pro- duets, as alcohol, sugar, and oxalic acid. The residue in this case, as well as when the wood is used for fuel, becomes directly available for use as a potash fertilizer, of which the hardwood wastes of the country produces about 19,0OO tons annually. The importance of this supply has been greatly emphasized since the war has cut off the principal source of this greatly needed material.
 An industry that thrives more thar any other on the utilization of waste the preparation of meat products Pork, beef, and mutton represent on y from 40 to S5 per cent. of the an nal on the hoof. Time was whel large part of the remaining Is tt 30 per cent. was thrown away. A present practically all the profits o his industry are derived from thei successful exploitation.
 The by-products obtained in tn backing house industry may be di yided into two classes-the edible am he inedible. The inedible constitut he external covering Chair, horns noofs, and hides), some of the offa md the bones. From these are pre- pared a great variety of substance: some of which have developed int enormous industries in themselves 5uch as leather, soap, glue, and fer ilizer The last mentioned rSENe sents the ultimate utilization of pack ng house waste. For example, i he manufacture of buttons, comb knife handles, end spatulas from th horns and hoofs of cattle and shoe hnd the hoofs of hogs, the waste rt bulting from the preparation of thes articles was at one time thrown awa put thas been found that by treatir such material with sulphuric acid u nitrogen which it contains becom available as fertilizer.
 Under the trade name of processt fertilizer this waste from a waste Ehus profitably disposed of. IT trimmings and waste in. the manufa lure of hair and leather goods a likewise consumed as fertilizer.
 Of more importance to fertiliz nanufactutre is the utilization of u oones, blood, entrails, Sc. Inco zruous as it may seem, each of the materials is now used in the prepar ion of a great many different pr ducts, Thus the bones may
 steamed, ground, and placed on t nerket under the name of bone me- br treated WlIn SulpnuTlC aClQ
 make them even more readily ava able for plant food.
 The blood, entrails, and othar m ,eIlaneous material all find ultima disposal in what is known as tan age in the fertilizer trade, so valuaI Tor their nitrogen and phosphoric at content.
 The oldest industry to make use waste for fertilizing is the fish iustry. The custom of fertilizi crops with fish existed among the J lians of New England before the rival of white settlers. It is si hat for fertilizing corn one or t
 ilb were buried in each hill. T procedure was adopted by the co nists, and at the time of a large ca
 he surplus fish were simply sprt broadcast over the fields. In pla ghere fish were plentiful this ( boeal of an oversupply of fish been p.'acticed until very rec
 imes.
 It was soon observed, however, t
 he response first noted on fiber,
 ertiliEing with fish decreased, {
 he initial good effects could be
 aimed again only after the soil
 been allowed to stand for a Ii
 without further applications of
 rhis was finally shown to be due
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