TUl. CUB A R I. V I h W 



29 



yet the fact remains tliat thore is now in the western hemisphere but a tithe of the potash nor- 

 mally needed, and tliat this scarcity is apt to be felt as loiif? as the war lasts. The i)resent 

 price and scarcity of potash in the market is such that it is impracticable to secure fertilizers 

 with any but a very small percentage of this substance, and even in cases where the fertilizer 

 contains a small amount, it is valued at so high a price that it is very doubtful if the effect on 

 crops will pay for its use. The nitrogen situation is better, but it is not all that could be 

 desired. The principal supply of the nitrogen contained in the fertilizers used in Cuba comes 

 from sulphate of ammonia and slaughter house products, such as tankage, bone-meal and blood. 

 Almost all of the sulphate of ammonia used in agriculture lias luitil recently {;ome from Knghmd, 

 but the exigencies of the war, ex' essive freight and insurance rates have, to a large extent, cut off 

 this supply, and the production in the United States has not kept up with the demand. The 

 excessive prices put iipon sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda for munition making have 

 caused a large demand for the animal ammoniates, causing in turn a scarcity of all these 

 articles and exorbitant prices. It is costing now more to treat phosphate rock with sulphuric 

 acid in order to render the phosphoric acid available, since the sulphuric acid is in demand also 

 in the war industries. 



With these facts as to the fertilizer situation before one, the establishment of this large 

 plant by the Armour Company at Matanzas seems most timely, and it is to be hoped that 

 the farmers of Cuba, particularly those of the western provinces where the land is old and next 

 to impossible to grow crops without fertilizer, will awaken to the possibilities afforded and the 

 advantages to be derived from this new and welcome industry in their country. 



OIL WELLS 



A recent visit made to the oil wells at 

 Bacuranao, a few miles East of Havana, re- 

 sulted in the following information in regard 

 to the situation there: 



The Union Cil Co. pumps on an average 

 about 50 bbls. each day. This, however, 

 does not represent continuous pumping, as 

 the supply of these wells is not in a condi- 

 tion for the pumps to be working all of the 



■General View of the Union Oil Co. Mine at Bacuranao. 



