116 PRACTICAL FARM CHEMISTRY. 



eminent chemist, wrote me concerning kainit as 

 follows: 



''Kainit contains common salt, gypsum, chloride 

 of potassium and sulphate of potash, besides chloride 

 of magnesium. Its compound character is apt to 

 supply known as well as unknown wants of the 

 plants raised by its aid. It is a superior absorber 

 of ammonia, as compared with gypsum; it diffuses 

 potash and phosphoric acid, and renders them more 

 accessible to all kinds of plants, rooting at different 

 depths; it increases the water-retaining quality of 

 the soil. Its large percentage of common salt ren- 

 ders its use in some cases objectionable, but for 

 grass lands and forage crops in general, its applica- 

 tion deserves high recommendation. For most gar- 

 den crops, where stems, leaves and roots are to be 

 used, muriate of potash is safer. For fruits (and 

 sugar and starch-containing plants), carbonate and 

 sulphate of potash are safer potash resources." 



Prof. Dabney says: ''Lime promotes the action 

 of kainit to a very marked degree; kainit is, by 

 itself, frequently a proper application to swamp 

 lands and new lands, being, also, a powerful diges- 

 tive agent." 



For orchards, especially Peach trees, it often 

 proves a veritable panacea, and I have seen some of 

 the diseases of the Peach yield to its application 

 as if by magic. 



To sum up, I would say that kainit, as a source of 

 potash, is worth just about its cost; but it gives us 

 so many other advantages besides, that it cannot be 

 doubted that we have in it a valuable manure. 



On the other hand, we should not forget that 

 kainit only furnishes potash, and not a particle of 

 other plant nutriments directly, and that it helps to 



