THE FUTURE IS HOPEFUL. 103 



ful — much more so than when I gave my lecture in Salem 

 three years ago. I was thinking, as I came into the hall, of an 

 expression that I used in 1868, in relation to the sources of sup- 

 ply of plant-food. I said then that I could not point out any 

 satisfactory source of potash or phosphates. I was aware then 

 that the Stassfurth mines, in Germany, were producing con- 

 siderable quantities of potash, but none of us understood then 

 the extent of those deposits, and therefore I made that obser- 

 vation with a feeling of deep regret that I could not point out 

 any sources of supply for these very important elements of 

 plant- food. But now, as I come here to-day, only three years 

 having elapsed, I am enabled to say that I can point out sources 

 of potash and phosphoric acid which are inexhaustible. I think 

 that is very hopeful. And we have also made great progress in 

 the combining of these things. We have disturbed those men 

 who are engaged in the business of making fertilizers. We 

 have really frightened them into making a better article, which 

 yet is very poor. I really would like to have you see the char- 

 acter of the letters I get from all over the country, in relation 

 to this matter. I have one in my pocket from a gentleman 

 who is manufacturing a fertilizer very largely. He says he 

 meets with certain difficulties, and proceeds to give the formula 

 from which it is made, and wishes to be instructed in certain 

 matters about it. I was so filled with contempt on reading it, 

 that I have not answered the letter. To show the deception, I 

 will say, that he was actually making the fertilizer at a cost of 

 17.50 a ton, of which he frankly confessed he was selling large 

 quantities for $50 a ton. I think it is high time this kind of 

 fraud was stopped. 



Mr. Buffinton. I use this potash, and the way I mix it is 

 this. I have the street scrapings of the main streets of the 

 city drawn down to my place, and then I have hogsheads placed 

 as near the heap as I can, into which I conduct the water from 

 the sink drain, and fill those hogsheads, and put in from fifty to 

 seventy-five pounds of this crude potash, mix it, and then throw 

 it on to this heap, so that I get one hundred or one hundred 

 and fifty pounds of the potash to the acre. 



This matter of potash is a very important one in this vicinity. 

 I am satisfied that all our land needs it, and it is about the 

 only cheap manure that we can get hold of. I have found one 



