The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-07-15

given, it will be seen that Florida nro-
duced SO per cent.
The following table gives the pro-
ducticn and value of the three varie-
ties of phosphate rock produced in
Florida for the years 1919 and 1920:
variety-1919
Hard rock, long tons 2S5,467: value
$2,452,56s; ay. per ton $3.50.
Soft rock, long tons 2S5,4e7; value
$196,318: av per ton $I5.54.
Land pebbie, long tons 1,36O, ,235:
value S5,149,04S; av, per ton s3Rs.
Variety 1920
Hard rock, long tors 4O0,249: value
$4,525,191; ay. per ton $1131.
Soft rock, long tons 1883; value
$190,551: av. per ton $13.66.
Land pebble, 1ong tons 1856, 1872:
value $14,74S,620; av. per ton s5.7S.
Total, long tons 3,Se9,3S4; value
$19,464,32; av. per ton $5.7a
The recovery of the industry from
the depressing ccndit ons attributable
TO the recent world war is shown
both in the largely increased produc-
ton from the pebble phosphate fled
and the very decided increase from
the hard rock fields, as compard with
the output for several preceding years.
The amount of hard rock phosphate
marketed during 1920 is evidence of
the increased demand for this grade
rock. Soft phosphate maintained the
record set in 1919, practica ly the
same quantity being marketed in
1920 as in that year The hard rock
production increased 114,TS2 tons.
The average value OF this variety in
creased from $3.50 per ton in 1919 to
$11.31 in 1920. For soft phosphate
there was slight decrease in the
amount marketed, the average value
per ton remaining practically the
same in 1920 as in 1918.
The total production of phosphate
rock in florida since the beginning
of the industry in 1888 to the close of
1890, according to statistics collected
by the florida Geological Survey and
the United States Geological, Survey,
is estimated to be 40,239,S9S tons,
with total valuation of S15e,31S,07S
The Great War not only starved
people, it starved the land Enough
nitrogen was thrown away in some
indecisive battle on the Aisne to save
India from famine. The population
of Europe as a whole has not been
lessened by the war. but the soil has
been robbed of its power to support
the population. A plant requires GER
tain chemical Clements for its
growth and all of these must be with
in reach OF its rootlets, for it will &C
eept no substitutes. A wheat stalk in
France before the war had placed at
it's feet nitratss from Chile, phos-
pilates from Florida and potash from
Germany. All these were shut off by
the firing line and The shortage OF
shipping.
Out of the eighty elements only thir-
teen are necessary for crops. Four
of these are gas: hydrogen, oxygen,
and chlorine. Five are metals potas-
SUM, magnesium, calcium, iron and
sodium. Four are nen-metallic solids:
Carbon, sulphur, phosphorus and
silicon. Three of these hydrogen,
oxygen and carbon, making up the
bulk Oh the. plant, are obtainab-e ad
libitunn from the air and water. The
other ten in the form of salts are DIS
solved in the water that is sucked up
from the soil. The quantity needed by
the plant is so small and the quantity
contained in the soia is 50 great that
ordinary we need not bother about the
supply except in case cf three OF them
They are nitrogen, potassium and
PHOSPHORUS. These would be useless