SOILS FERTILIZERS. 423 



presented. The plio^hate industry in tlie different States is also briefly dis- 

 cussed and general information of interest to those engaged in the phosphate 

 trade is given. The marketed production of phosphate rock in the United 

 States in 1913 was 3,111,221 long tons valued, at $11,796,231, representing an in- 

 crease of 5 per cent in output and 1 per cent in value over the corresponding 

 figures for 1912. 



The fertilizing value of phonolite, R. Neumann {Fiihling's Landw. Ztg., 63 

 (1914), No. 8, pp. 218-291, figs. 2).— Field and pot tests are reported of a form 

 of phonolite consisting mainly of leucite, which, it is claimed, is more effective 

 as a potash fertilizer than the ordinary forms and promotes nitrogen fixation. 

 The results failed, to confirm these claims and showed that while the phonolite 

 had a slight fertilizing value this was in no sense comparable with that of ordi- 

 nary pota.sh fertilizers. 



Potash salts and other salines in the Great Basin region, G. J. Young 

 (V. 8. Dept. Agr. Bid. 61 (1914), pp. 96, pis. 6, figs. 8).— This is an account of 

 investigations carried on in cooperation with the U. S. Geological Survey and 

 the Mackay School of Mines of the University of Nevada. 



The region explored included practically the entire State of Nevada, the 

 southern part of Oi'egon, the western part of Utah, and certain sections of east- 

 ern and southeastern California, and comprised, an area of between 208,500 and 

 210,000 square miles. The report deals fully with the origin, formation, and 

 character of the saline deposits. 



It is pointed out that potash deposits similar to those of Stassfurt, Germany, 

 can hardly be expected to occur in the Great Basin. The saline deposits of the 

 Great Basin repi'esent comparatively recent geological activity and are not the 

 result of extreme desiccation even in the older deposits. The present deposits 

 are in process of formation. "It may be said that the basin deposits already 

 discovered represent the initial stages of what in time might result in deposits 

 rather remotely similar to Stassfurt, but of much less magnitude. . . . 



" With the exception of the crusts and efflorescences about hot springs and in 

 soils, no notably high potassium content has been reported from salines taken 

 from beds. The potassium content in material of this nature ranges from less 

 than 1 to 2 per cent. It is not In the salts which have crystallized out, but in 

 the residual brines or mother liquors that concentration of potassium has taken 

 place, and it is to these that we must look for potassium salts. As desiccation 

 appi'oaches completion so will the residual brines increase in proportion of 

 potassium. A near approach to complete desiccation would give a brine high 

 in potash. . . . 



" Two general types in the desiccation phenomena may be distinguished, the 

 Searles type, in which a large, deep lake was evaporated, and the comparatively 

 thick body of saline material, restricted in area and saturated with residual 

 brine, was formed; and a second type, which is best illustrated by Death Valley, 

 in which case we have the building up of a mass of muds and silts with inter- 

 bedded salines, by the repeated formation and desiccation of a shallow lake. 

 To the latter type belong most of the desert, dry lakes, or playas. The line 

 between the two types is not a sharp one." 



The possibility of deep deposits is considered to be tmeertain though not com- 

 pletely disproved. In view of this uncertainty deposits such as those occurring 

 in Searles Lake which have resulted from desiccation of the most recent Quater- 

 nary lakes seem to be of most significance. Of the various basins examined 

 " Searles is the only one in which the investigation has shown sufficient concen- 

 tration of potassium salts in the residual brines to be of probable commercial 

 importance. . . . The presence of brines of moderate concentration is shown 

 60741°— No. 5—14 3 



