The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-14
GERMAN POTASH TRADE
HARD HIT BY THE WAR

There seems now to be very good
prospect that Germany may find aft
ter the war that her practical world
monopoly OF the supplies of natural
potash is a far less valuable national
commercial asset than it was before
the kaiser and his advisers started
out to conquer the earth. Before
1914 one of the largest If not the
preponderating use of potash was for
fertilizing the SOIL and the agricul-
turc of the world bowed to Germany S
whim in The matter of output and
prices. There were other sources OF
supply, but for the mosr-part they
remained undeveloped because one of
the tenets Of German commercial kul-
tur was TO see that competition, where
it could be crushed should not de-
velop. Potash prices were kept just
low enough to discourage any enter
prising chemical concern from de
veloping a new field Of production,
hut still high enough to take all the
profits The trade would hear
With the disappearance of Ger
many's commercial fleet, as well as
her navy from the seas. the world
found itself seriously short of potash
at time when not only agriculture
but the production of war material
was demanding larger supply than
ever before. The makers of war
turned to the chemists, demanding
that new and immediate sources of
potash be found and developed in
Stantly. Cost ceased 10 be controll-
ing factor. for the Hun must be beaten
be the expense what it might 1t be-
ing Americas mission at the start
to feed the world. much of the sup
ply developed in the early years OF
the war--and il should be said that
American chemists did marvellous
work with the material at hand-~and
was used by fertilizer makers, and to
"a small extent at least the farmer
continued to plant his seeds in soil
not wholly devoid of this supposedly
indispensa bic element. But when
America joined the kaiser's enemies
and turned her attention to making
explosives for her own soldiers TO
use instead of merely making bullets
for the allies to shoot. there soon was
no potash for any purpose but to
meet the inexorabe demands of the
military esta biishnient. For two years
potash had been too expensive to al
low more than l or per cent of
ii to be used for fertilizer, and now
even that minimum must be given up.
As soon a s potash became scarce and
dear, the department of agriculture,
state colleges and agricultural expert
ment stations began work looking to
the production of at least normal
crops with fertilizers innocent of that
German commodity. The first season s
efforts We're attended with only mod
crate success, but the research went
on and nonpotash fertilizers were APP
piled to all staple crops the next year
with more encouraging results. Gar
den vegetables, legumes cotton, ce-
reals. orchard fruits and berries have
ben found to respond satisfactorily.
In many instances no diminution of
others it has been so slight as not
in normal times
Other experiments besides the mere
omission of potash from the fertilizer
have been going on at the same time
with most gratifying success. Changes
in crop ration treatment of stable
manure with simple and abundant
chemical elements to add to its eff
ficiency. green manuring, lining, etc.
have all had their place in this work,
and all have been helpful, so that
when the war shall end and peace
shall come, Germany must sell potash
at fair prices If she expects to find n
market for il in the fertilizer indus
try.
-spuoa xiasqIT ana"
He's the tidiest man / know"
What makes You think so?"
He can even fill the grease cups
on his car and not get most of the
grease on himself"-,Detroits Free