The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-01-13
Press Comment
New ideas in Fertilizers

or the University OF kentucky.
In the early history of land fertiliza-
ton some notable successes resulted
from the use of 'land plaster" (gyp-
sum, sulphate of lime), but there were
failures also where the soil needed
neither sulphur nor lime, but some
other element. That the sulphur in
this particular salt of calcium, or lime,
had much to do with the successful
results of it's application was not rec
ognized. Analysis of plants failed to
disclose the proportion of sulphur in
most of them, as it is volatile and
could not be found in the ash.
In some experiments in Oregon,
where many of the soils are deficient
in sulphur, the direct application of
that element resulted in gains of so
10 1000 per cent in the yield of alfalfa.
This and the other legumes, besides
the cabbage family, require large
quantities of sulphur, and the legumes
convert it into an organic form which
does not leach out of the soil as the
other forms do
In our issue of December IA we pub
lished an article detailing the results
of experiments by the department of
agriculture's chemists at Arlington in
the extraction of phosphoric acid from
the rock direct by the application of
heat The amount thus obtained was
four times as great as the amount
of phosphate produced by the process
with sulphuric acid, besides saving
large qualities Of rock which had pre-
viously been wasted. Phosphoric acid
mixed with phosphate rock gave a
product which contained so per cent
of phosphate, as against the Is per
cent produced by the sulphuric acid
process. Everything indicates that
phosphate will, in time, be much
cheaper than it has been.
1t is a question, however, whether
just as good results will be obtained
with phosphate so prepared as with
acid phosphate, since the new form
contains no sulphur. In other words,
does not the sulphur in acid phos-
phate have much to do with the eff
feet of this latter fertilizer?
AS further experimentation remains
before the science of fertilization can
be put upon an entirely new basis,
farmers will go on buying the brands
they are accustomed to and there will
be no loss to the fertilizer companies,
we presume.> Any changes will be
made gradually and by the companies
themselves.
Two other new ideas in fertiliza-
ton is the production of ammonia by
a new and cheaper process in Italy,
where the hydrogen in ordinary water
is separated from it's attendant gas,
oxygen; nitrogen is taken from the at
mosphere and the two gasses, hydro
gen and nitrogen, are combined to
form ammonia, all by electric power;
III 60
tilizer in tablet form which can be
fed to individual plants that may need
1t, this is the invention of three New
Zealand meteorological chemists.
Whether all these new discoveries
and inventions become generally
available or not, still they give reason
to hope that new era in farming is
dawning when wreater crops than ever
before will be raised on any given
area without additional labor or, per-
haps, additional {cost.-Times Union.
Re-Examnie the Soldiers
A movement is on foot to have all
ex-soldiers re- examined. 1t should be
done at once. The writer, after 1S
months active service, came out of
the army with a disability mark. His
disability does not impair his earn
ing a livelihood. He has asked for
nothing, and wants nothing. In fact,
he would not accept any disability pay
unless his disability made him unfit
to work. However, many others would.
and are doing it, while hundreds Of
others are getting practically nothing
and are entitled to full pay. We know
a man in Gainesville that was ply
steal trainer, prior to the war. He
was an athlete, in perfect health. He
got all messed up" in the fuss with
the Germans. Today he is unfit for
labor. He cannot follow his profess
sion of physical training because he
does not look like one himself He is
getting the paltry sum of $50 month.
We know another here in GAINESVILLE.
Prior TO the war he was not healthy.
He did nothing that was of any serv
ice TO his town or nation, but prob
ably drive a nail or two into a crate
occasionally. He was drafted carried
to an army camp and shortly after
wrds discharged by disability board.
Today this boy looks healthier than
we ever saw him. If he has hit a
lick of work since his discharge we
haven't heard about it. He is in better
condition to work now than he ever
was Out ne Is getting 100 MUCH pay
from the government to have to work.
He gets something like SIS or 500 a
month. Re- examine every soldier that
is drawing disability pay. Re-exam-
inc all of them by unbiased army doc
tors and give the disability pay 10
those that deserve it.
The writer is prejudiced against no
one, most especially of all, a soldier,
ha he either an overseas veteran ol-
one that didn't get the chance to go
abroad, for they all caught enough
hell and got nothing in comparison to
those that stayed out of the army, but
we do believe in giving the disability
to those entitled to it.-Gainesville
News.
Buck Up, Everybody!-
The one great fact that every Amer |
lean ought to think and talk about to- !