1919] SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 825 



" Calcium nitrate was present where nitrification was stimulated by calcium 

 carbonate. Anuiionium sulphate was formed, by the reaction between sulphuric 

 acid and ammonia from dried blood, where a deficiency of basic calcium com- 

 pounds restricted the nitrification of ammonia. Considerable amounts of cal- 

 cium, aluminum, and manganese sulphate were also present in certain mix- 

 tures. 



"Ammonium sulphate, independent of the ammonia being nitrified, affected 

 the solubility of potassium. Calcium naturally present in the soil as silicate 

 and in other combinations was readily attacked by the acidity resulting from 

 nitrification and sulfofication. Ammonium sulphate was also an active solvent 

 of calcium. 



" Magnesium compounds were much more resistant to the action of these 

 solvent agencies. 



" Large quantities of aluminum and manganese were converted into soluble 

 forms where sulphur was oxidized in an acid silt loam soil. Small amounts of 

 these elements were made soluble by this action in a basic clay. Nitrification 

 had no effect on aluminum." 



Summary of the potash situation submitted by the Bureau of Mines and 

 the Geological Survey of the Department of the Interior, June 1, 1919 {Amer. 

 Pert., 51 {1919), No. 2, pp. 39-42). — This report states that the domestic potash 

 industry has practically been the outgrowth of the war situation. The several 

 domestic sources actually produced 54,562 tons of K2O in 1918, and the esti- 

 mated capacity at the close of 191S was 100,000 tons. 



"Although the greatest output is shown for the western sources, they will be 

 handicapped in competition with foreign potash by their remoteness from the 

 market, the eastern potato and truck regions and southern cotton districts. 

 The by-product sources, located mainly in the East, may be expected, when 

 properly developed, to supply a large part of total requirements at competitive 

 prices." 



Data on cost and consumption are also presented. 



Some details about the Alsatian potash fields (Amer. Pert., 50 {1919), No. 

 3, p. 45)- — It is stated that there are at present approximately 100 fields in 

 Alsace for which concessions for potash working have been granted, of which 

 about 80 are considered workable. 



" The thickness of the deposits in Alsace ranges from 2 to 10 meters [6.56 

 to 32.8 ft.] ; the quantity is estimated at 1,472,058,000 tons of potash salts, which 

 represents about 300,000,000 tons of pure potash. The advantages are that the 

 deposits are uniform ; the potash content with 15 to 20 per cent and more, on 

 the average, is higher than in central Germany, and concessions are practically 

 unnecessary for the disposal of the discharged water. On the other hand, the 

 disadvantages are that it is diflicult to produce sulphate." 

 ■ Potash content of blast furnace charges, N. H. Gellert {Com. Fert., 18 

 {1919), No. 3, pp. 14, 16). — Analytical data are given which show that the iron 

 ores ordinarily used in blast furnaces in the United States have contained from 

 0.29 to 2.07 per cent potash. Experience indicates that ores from the Lake dis- 

 trict run low in potash (about 0.3 per cent), while foreign ores r\in high, par- 

 ticularly the manganese ores of Brazil, which usually contain 1 per cent and 

 above. Indian ores rank next to the Brazilian ores in potash content, and 

 Alabama ores are said to be quite high. 



It is believed " that between 40 and 50 per cent of the potash charged into a 

 blast furnace can be readily secured by the proper treatment of the charge and 

 by proper collecting devices. The device that can most successfuly collect this 

 potash with the greatest saving for blast-furnace operation is the Cottrell 



