The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-07-09
Darlington Crops
Ruined by Potash
Cotton and Tobacco Fields Laid
Waste Great Loss Involved

Columbia, July 6.-'I found ca
lamitous condition in a large section
Of Darlington county which l visited,
said DR.. A. c. Summers Saturday up
or his return from a trip Of inspection
which he made as State chemist at
the request of Commissioner Harris
II had been reported to the State de-
partment of agriculture that o large
number of farmers in Darlington
county had suffered because Of the
purchase and use Of the socalled
American potash, and the department
was urged by Bright Williamson to
make some investigation.
Mr Williamson, VINO is a banker
and plants extensively himself, had
made a preliminary investigation to
see if there were any cause for SO
many different fields of tobacco and
cotton dying and whitening. In his
letter informing the department NJ.
Williams said "the result Of the use
Of domestic potash on tobacco and
cotton showing Up now is most alarm
ing Where Is pounds per acre of
k20 was used on tobacco there is
practically none and the effect is Sc
rious on cotton. Where 40 to so
pounds Of k20 was used there is gen
orally about one-half stand of tobac
CO. Where smaller quantities Of k20
were used, the effect is not noticeable" ;"
Dr. Summers states that Mr.. Will
hanson presented the matter con-
servatively. The loss in Darlington
county alone will run UP into the
hundreds of thousands. Other coun-
Ties in the state have not reported
and they may not be affected As Sc
riously. but in Darlington. + rough the
activity OF J. N. Napier and Mr.. !
hanson, an effort has been made to
locate all Of the fields affected. There
have been individual cases reported
from other counties.
DR.. Summers endorses the state
ment Of Mr.. Williamson that the
evidence Of the poisonous and Gisas-
trous results of the use Of potash is
positive. overwhelming and Spectacu-
lar" 1t can not be alleged that the
widespread destruction OF plant life is
due to too much moisture, for By q
process Of elimination it Was show:
that one part of a field where the pot,
ash had been spread has suffered
greatly while in another part where
German kainit or other forms of pot
ash were used the plant life was
healthy and the amount OF moisture
ever the entire community was the
came.
Il never witnessed such ruin in the
fields from causes other than the
most destructive hail storms, said
Dr.. Summers. "0r>e farmer had lost
al of his tobacco planting on ore
piece of LAND and he then plowed II
and planted cotton. The cotton ger
minated and grew very we'll until the
roots came in contact with the potash
in the soil and then plants died. This
farmer is trying cowpeas to see il til;l;
crop viii produce.
L think that the poison will >be
eradicated from the soil in the course
0 ia year observed that where there
had bee; heavy rains since the putting
down of the potash that the poison
seemed 10 have Ieeched out 70 some
extent We are making experiments
in our laboratories and will know i,E
Monday more Of the chemical nature
Of this American potash.
AT meeting Of the cotton farm
ers in New Orleans about two months
ago an effort was made TO get the
government not to put Il heavy tariff
upon German potash. This effort was
killed by the agency Of The men inter
ested in American potash. a meeting
OF Southern commissioners o; asricH'
lurc will hc held IN Washington 1T @n
early date TO protest against g heavy