The Robesonian., 1918-01-03
NITRATE OF SODA FOR
SOUTHERN FARMERS

1900 Tons Will be Sent to South
ern Ports During This Month
and More Will Follow-$75 a
Ton.
At least $4,000 tons of nitrate will
be delivered at Wilmington and other
Southern ports during the month of
January and approximately 100000
tons will be delivered during the en-
suing months at a price ranging
around $75 & ton at the port of entry,
according to statement made public
| by Secretary of Agriculture Houston
Sunday night, states a special from
| Washington TO the Greensboro Daily
| News. The nitrates will be used by
North Carolina farmers for their
| 1918 crops.
| Senator Overman and Representa-
tives Goodwin, Robinson, Doughton and
Hood took this matter up with Sec
retary Houston early last month and
before Congress adjourned for the
holidays Mr.. Houston assured them
that the government would be able to
supply the nitrates in sufficient guam
tity to take care Of the needs of the
Southern farmers.
Nitrate of soda is very essential to
farmers in the trucking sections OF
!, North Carolina or wherever the light
: soil obtains. According to Congress.
man Robinson many counties in the
, state would produce crops so pei
: cent. short of the normal yield unles:
e nitrate Of soda can be furnished
4 The soda, which comes from Chile
5 will be delivered to the farmer di
t rect. No middleman will be allowed
: to take profit from the farmers. Th'
: general understanding is that th
a farm demonstration agent will &C
k ment, and the farmer will deal di
8, e own county. Shipments for Mort
$ Carolina will be delivered at viii
= mington and distributed from tina
point, according to the Department
n of Agriculture.
s Mr.. Houstons statement follows:
J. 81 have been giving a great des
n of thought and attention to the n
q trate question. l have been in dail
o touch with the war industries boarc
e. which was to purchase and delive
t. the material at the seaboard, an
St also with the shipping board.
it Arrangements were complete
~ several weeks ago, through the wa
ID industries board, under the immed
1t ate supervision of Mr. Baruch, t
is purchase approximately 100000 tor
is of nitrate of soda in Chile in accol
dance with the authorization fe
70 such purpose in the food control &C
N Because of the disturbed shipping col
". ditions it has been impossible unit
ct recently definitely to secure facilit
s. es for transporting the nitrate
f. whole or in part. Within the last fe
lie days preparations have been compile
ne ed for the delivery at the seaboal
ne during January of $4,000 tons, ar
to every reasonable assurance has bee
given that supplies, up to 100000 tol
is for the ensuing months will be delive
III ed. Every possible effort will be mao
10 to make certain these deliveries, b7
ct it should be understood that, owir
he to existing situations, circumstance
IN over which there is no control mig
re intervene.
nd 81 cannot state today exactly VIII
ne the price will be, but it will be appro
ag imately s75 on board cars at the Sc
to board Farmers will have to p;
lie freight charges to their local statio
the state fertilizer tax fee, which v
ries in different States but will pro
< ably not average more than 25 cen