INVESTIGATION OP OTERO BASIN FOE POTASH SALTS. 7 



localities where the chance of finding such buried beds is not only 

 greater than in the Otero Basin, but is almost immeasurably greater. 



This strongly negative conclusion raises the question as to the 

 source of the repeated rumors of the occurrence of potash in the 

 Otero Basin. These rumors can be traced to a comparatively few 

 individuals, and appear to be based on reports of from 1 to 11 

 per cent of potash (K 2 O) in samples collected at several localities 

 within the basin. Careful resampling at these localities by the 

 writer, with subsequent analyses by F. H. Carpenter, of the Bureau 

 of Soils, showed only traces of potash less, in fact, than is present 

 in ordinary soils. The previous higher results can be ascribed only 

 to faulty analytical methods, joined, perhaps, to a faulty sampling 

 and consequent contamination with animal excrement. As the origi- 

 nal samples are not now available, reanalysis is impossible. 



Approved. 



JAMES WILSON, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



no PUBLICATION may be pro- 

 * cured from the Superintendent of 

 Documents, Government Printing Office 

 Washington, D. C., at 5 cents per copy 



