GRADES OF GERMAN SALTS. 299 



report (H.), I have recoraraended to all who have asked ray 

 opinion, concerning the qualities of German potash salts, 

 which are most desirable for our special agricultural interests, 

 to confine themselves mainly to the importation of the three 

 following grades : — 



(1.) Muriate of potash, containing from 80 to 84 per cent, 

 of that compound, which is equal to from 50 to 52 per cent, 

 of potassium oxide. 



(2.) Sulphate of potassa, containing from 52 to 56 per 

 cent, of that compound, which is equal to from 28 to 29 per 

 cent, of potassium oxide ; it also contains usually from 30 to 

 35 per cent, sulphate of magnesia, equal to from 10 to 12 per 

 cent, of magnesium oxide. 



(3.) High grade artificial kainit, containing from 30 to 32 

 per cent, of sulphate of potassa, which is equal to from 14.5 

 to 17.3 per cent, of potassium oxide. The remaining con- 

 stituents of this class of kainits, consist usually in the main 

 of from 35 to 45 per cent, of chloride of sodium (common 

 salt), and from 8 to 12 per cent, of sulphate of magnesia, 

 with but a small per cent, of chloride of magnesia, on account 

 of a previous calcination. 



The importation of lower grades of these compounds needs 

 apparently no farther encouragement, because the demand has 

 been supplied thus far satisfactorily and in ample quantities 

 by the genuine Leopoldshall natural kainit, which is sold at 

 Baltimore, New York and Boston, by its sole agent for the 

 United States, W. Dunan, Esq., of Baltimore. 



As every additional development of the almost inexhaust- 

 ible resources of potash fertilizers at Stassfurt will sooner or 

 later aflect our home trade in that commodity, it may not be 

 without some interest here to relate shortly some changes 

 which of late have taken place in that locality and its vicinity 

 in Germany. 



Until quite recently the raining of the salines, which serve 

 for the production of the potash fertilizers in Germany has 

 been conducted by the governments of Prussia and the duchy 

 of Anhalt-Saxony. The products of their mining operations 

 at Stassfurt and Leopoldshall have been sold to private 

 parties, who turned them, at their own wish, into articles of 

 a more definite character, and of a higher commercial value. 



