58 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 J ax., 1918. 



will be. Having pitched battles with horses inclined to jib nearly 

 always end either in the man's defeat or in spoiling the horse. If a 

 mare is a confirmed rogue, or bad tempered, it is not advisable to breed 

 from her, as the progeny are likely to inherit her bad qualities. — 

 " H.R.," in The Weekly Times. 



POTASH. 



ITS NEED AND SOURCES. 



Prior to the war the German Kali or Potash Syndicate absolutely 

 controlled the potash industries of the world, the output from the 

 famous mine at Stassfurt alone being nearly £6,000,000 worth of material 

 a year. The hold that had been secured was quickly made manifest, for 

 as accumulated stocks became exhausted, the prices of all potash salts 

 advanced to a very high figure. Caustic potash advanced from £36 per 

 ton to £400 per ton. Pearl ash, potassium chloride and sulphate are 

 unprocurable. The effect of this has been felt in all industries requiring 

 potash, and in agriculture the position is really serious, for, as potassium 

 sulphate — which is the principal compound used as the source of potash 

 in fertilizing manures — is practically unobtainable, this necessary and 

 important salt is left out of all fertilizers at present on the market. 



All authorities agree that potash is essential for the maintenance of 

 the soil's fertility, and, to show the justification for this agreement, 

 and the serious results that will ensue by the removal of potash from 

 fertilizing mixtures, the results of experimental plots of ])otatoes will 

 be of interest. Using the ordinary fertilizing mixture without potash, 

 a yield of only 2 tons 16 cwts. was obtained, as against 8 to 10 tons 

 per acre with potash present. 



In experiments with mangel-wurzels by the addition of potash, the 

 total yield was increased from 12 to 29 tons, and the sugar yield from 

 0.797 ton to 2.223 tons. All soils, excepting volcanic and granitic in the 

 virgin state, require potash. Plants which secrete quantities of sugar, 

 starch, and other carbohydrates, such as beets, sorghum, potatoes, 

 onions, maize, like^vise the various kinds of fruits, require much potash 

 for their development. 



Apart from the increased yields by the addition of potash, it is 

 specially noteworthy that its presence imparts increased vigour to plants, 

 and thus enables them to resist diseases to which they may be subject. 

 We in Australia are drawing on the reserves of potash present in the 

 soil, and it may, in some cases, be some time before its loss is made 

 manifest; but already in Queensland, Avhere pineapples and bananas are 

 grown, the reserve is exhausted. In the fruit-growing districts of New 

 South Wales, also, these crops are suffering from the lack of potash. 



The position is no doubt serious, but remediable, for the sources 

 from which potash may be obtained are many and various. In Europe 

 and America, efforts are being made to establish the potash industry, 

 and investigations instituted in order to secure the necessary salts under 



