ELISHA MITCHELL SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY- 63 



(Tarboro), and the Durham Fertilizer Co., buy Acid Phos- 

 phate, and 'dry-mix' their own Guano. 



THE PRESENT OUTLOOK IN NORTH CAROLINA. 



Opinions vary. Some think the prospect fair, others are 

 inclined to take rather despondent views. 



Fertilizers have declined in price, and the $500 tax is not 

 popular. There has been little or no mining of the regular 

 North Carolina Phosphate Rock (containing 20-22 per cent. 

 Phosphoric acid), for the reason that it lies in 'pockets' some- 

 what widely separated, and the topography of the region is 

 unfavorable for cheap mining. As long as Charleston, S. C 

 Rock guaranteed to run 55 per cent. Bone Phosphate (25,19 

 per cent. Phosphoric acid) can be bought f. o. b. for $$.$0 to 

 $6.50, there is but little prospect of the North Carolina Rock 

 coming mto market in any quantity. 



The first systematic investigation of this Rock was made 

 by W. B. Phillips in September, 1883, at the request of the 

 Navassa Guano Company. In his report to that company, 

 published in pamphlet form (" North Carolina Phosphates 

 October, 1883") he took the ground that the steepness of the 

 slopes on the sides of most of the little streams where the 

 rock occurs would necessitate an excessive amount of dig- 

 ging, with proportional increase of expense, which the low 

 grade of the rock would not repay. In march 1884, appeared 

 the Report of the Experiment Station on North Carolina 

 Phosphates, and since that time numerous references have 

 been made to the matter in the publications of the Station, 

 and of the Agricultural Department. 



While the rock makes an excellent quality of acid Phos- 

 phate it remains to be seen whether it can compete with 

 Charleston Rock. So far it has not competed, for the reason 

 that none of it has been offered. As to how soon, if at all, 

 it will be offered.is a very obscure question, and one which 

 time, and it may be a good deal of it, alone can answer. As 

 to the other raw materials for the manufacture of fertilizers, 

 viz : fish-Hcrcqj and cotton .seed meal as nitrogenous matter, 

 pyrites as source of sulphuric acid, and hones, the following 

 may be said : 



FISH, OIL, AND SCRAP MILLS, 



There are seven (7) in the State, three (3) of fair capacity, 

 and four (4) small. P^mployment is given from April to 

 November, to about 400 men, and the yearly value of the oil 

 and scrap is about ;$ 150,000. 



