December 18, 1915 



HOETICULTURE 



833 



THE POTASH SUPPLY. 



From tlie Report of the Secretary of Agri- 

 culture. 



The potash situation continues very 

 serious and a grave condition con- 

 fronts the American farmer. There is 

 practically no potash in this country 

 for fertilizer use, and present indica- 

 tions are that the supply for this pur- 

 pose will not be increased materially 

 during the coming year. The investi- 

 gations of the department and of the 

 Geological Survey have shown the pos- 

 sibility of producing from American 

 sources an ample quantity of potas- 

 sium salts for domestic consumption. 

 During the year no new sources have 

 been discovered, but the conditions 

 surrounding the development of known 

 sources have been clarified considera- 

 bly. There are four possible domestic 

 sources of potash: The giant kelp of 

 the Pacific coast from Lower Califor- 

 nia to Alaska; the alunite deposits, 

 mainly in the mountains of Utah; the 

 feldspathic rocks of the eastern part 

 of the United States; and the mud of 

 Searles Lake, in California. 



Undoubtedly a large supply of pot- 

 ash salts could be obtained from the 

 giant kelp. The kelp beds have beefl 

 surveyed and a report, accompanied by 

 maps showing in detail their extent 

 and location, has been issued. Har- 

 vesting is accomplished easily, as the 

 kelp grows in open water ana barges 

 fitted with moving attachments can be 

 used. 



For utilizing the kelp several meth- 

 ods are feasible. It may be dried ana 

 ground. In this condition it contains 

 all the salts originally present, which 

 are mainly potassium chlorid and 

 sodium chlorid. This material has 

 ideal mechanical proprieties for use in 

 mixed fertilizers. When the pure po- 

 tassium chlorid is desired it is neces- 

 sary to separate the juice from the or- 

 ganic material and then to remove the 

 sodium chlorid. The latter can be 

 done readily by recrystallization; but 

 the separation of the juice from the 

 organic material is more difficult, for 

 the reason that the kelp is nonfibrous 

 and in attempts to effect separation 

 by filtration the filters become clogged 

 and unworkable. The problems yet to 

 be worked out commercially are the 

 best methods of drying the wet kelp 

 and of effecting the ready and efficient 

 separation of ihe plant juices from the 

 organic material. Investigation of 

 these questions has proceeded far 

 enough to indicate that their solution 

 should not be very difficult. 



But the development of a supply! of 

 potash from the kelp beds is still re- 

 mote. There are several reasons for 

 this. No one knows how long the Eu- 

 ropean war may last or how soon pot- 

 ash from the former usual sources may 

 be available. The American fertilizer 

 companies heretofore have depended 

 largely on the mining of phosphate 

 rock and the manufacture of sulphuric 

 acid for superphosphates. In these 

 lines they are deeply interested finan- 

 cially. There is, furthermore, an ele- 

 ment of doubt as to the control of the 

 kelp beds. Just what jurisdiction the 

 Federal Government has over them 

 does not appear, and the Pacific Coast 

 States have not legislated concerning 

 those lying opposite their shores. It 

 is unlikely, even in the event of an 

 early peace, that there immediately 

 ■will be a great supply of potash salts. 

 It is a question how long it would take 



USED BY FLORISTS OVER 30 YEARS 



t »t*liL ►**>**- 



TTUnc MAlW- 



PAN-PACIFIC PltESS ASSOCIATION, LTD. 



October 16, 1915. 



San Francisco, Calif. 

 Mr. Benjamin Hammond, Beacon, N. Y. 



Dear Sir: The Horticulture Jury, of which the writer was a member, awarded you 

 a Gold Medal for your Insecticides, and when you take Into consideration the fact that 

 that Jury, outside of the writer, was composed of some of the famous experts of the 

 world, you will realize the importauce of this award. Verification of this may be ob- 

 tained from Mr. George A. Dennlson, Chief of Horticulture, Panama-Pacific international 

 Exposition. 



The writer has been requested to furnish a list of the articles which the Jury en- 

 dorsed by their action in awarding prizes because of merit. This request comes from 

 representatives of foreign countries and states. 



Respectfully yours. 



Signed : J. A. BUCHANAN, Gen. Mgr. 



Pan-PaclDc Press Association. 



PANAMA-PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION 



San Francisco, Calif. 



Division of Exhibits Office of the Chief 



DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE 



,,„..,, , November 3, 1915. 



Mr. Benjamin Hammond, Beacon, N. Y. 



Dear Sir: Replying to your letter of October 2Sth, I wish to say that the Jury 

 awarded Slug Shot, Grape Dust and Copper Solution a Gold Medal. 



Yours very trulv. 



Signed: G. A. DENNISON, 



Chief of Horticulture. 



Sold by the Supply Hcuses of America 



BENJAMIN HAMMOND, BEACON, N.Y. 



SCOTCH SOOT 



Where there ii a bous* that U Ja»t 

 full of buda almost ready to ghow color, 

 nothing will turn better color Into Ui« 

 flowers than a little soot, that can b« 

 ■cattered over the benches before water- 

 ing. The amount applied should not b* 

 excessive, as the soot la rery atronc 

 nnd may damage some of the foUao 

 •nmewbat. Apply jaat enough to blarkem 

 rhe surface of the soil Id the benchaa, 

 and let It go at that. Better a lltU* 

 oftener than too much all at once. 



We ofTer the renalne In orifflnAl cwt. 

 Saclu ftt ' 



ti.oi) per IK lb*.: (17.M per S«0 lb*. 



Stumpp & Walter Co. 



30-32 Barclay Street, NEW YORK 



NIKOTEEN 



I For Spraying 



'aphis punk 



For Fumigating 

 A>k Your Dealer For It. 



NICOTINE MPG. CO. 



ST. LOUIS 



the former agencies to resume their 

 usual operations. Tlie experts of the 

 department are of the opinion that 

 under normal conditions, it the Panama 

 Canal is utilized, potash from the kelp 

 heds of ttie Pacific coast can be sold in 

 the east under free competition. 



Next to the kelp the massive alu- 

 nltes present the best possibilities as 

 a source of potash. This material Is 

 decomposed by roaBting, with the evo- 



Tho Recognized Standard Insecticide. 



A spray remedy for green, black, white fly, 

 tbrlps and soft scale. 



Quart, $1.00; Gallon, ;3.S0. 



FUNCINE 



An infallible spray remedy for rose mildew, 

 carnation and chrysanthemum rust. 

 C)uart, 75c.; Gallon, $2.00. 



VERMINE 



A soil sterilizer for cut, eel, wire and 

 angle worms. 



Iluart. $1.00; Gallon, $3.00. 



SCALINE 



For San Jose and various scale on trees 

 and hardy stock. 



Quart. ISc.; Gallon, $1.50. 



NIKOTIANA 



A 12% nicotine solution properly diluted 

 for funilKDtlng or vjiporizlng. 



Quart, 91.50; Gallon. fl.M). 



If yon cannot nhtnin our prndnrtR from 

 >'Our local «loaIcr, nentl iin your orttrr and 

 \vc %% HI t*lilp ininiediatfly throuKli our 

 neari-Ht iiccnt. 



Aphine Manufacturing Co. 



MADISON. N. J. 



GEO. A. BinMSTON 

 President 



.M. C. EBt:l, 

 Treasurer 



