20 

 SOURCES OF FERTILIZER. 



Peru has been particularly favored in the matter of securing fertilizer. 

 The great guano deposits have supplied nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 

 some potash. The soils themselves are generally well supplied with 

 lime. The close proximity to the saltpetre fields has made it easy to 

 secure the fertilizing elements, except potash, with little difficulty. 



These abundant supplies of the richest kind of fertilizer have made 

 the planter less alive to the general scarcity in the world of nitrogen, 

 phosphoric acid and potash, The time may come when these supplies 

 will be exhausted and the consideration of new sources of fertilizer 

 supply will be as important in Peru as in other places, 



To secure nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash, refuse and by- 

 products of some of the manufactures may be utilized. Among the 

 materials that may be used and which the country supplies in vary- 

 ing quantities, are dried blood, tankage, cottonseed meal, ashes, 

 leather scraps, fish scraps, and even street sweepings. New sources of 

 fertilizer may be discovered as the country abounds in minerals, sol- 

 uble salt deposits of various natures, and, as there is so little rainfall 

 along the Coast, it is quite possible that some of the elements such 

 as potash may exist. 



An interesting indication of this is to be seen along the Coast of 

 the Chicama valley. For a number of miles along the Coast where 

 the present river has spread its filtration water, there are shallow lay- 

 ers of soil heavily charged with salt containing a small proportion of 

 potassium nitrate. In some of the best of these soils, analyses show- 

 ed about 1 J to 2 % water-soluble potassium nitrate. The deposits, 

 so far as yet observed, seem to be very shallow and in pockets. No 

 fair estimate of the amount existing in this locality can be given. 



The potassium nitrate is now obtained as a by-product of the salt 

 industry, which is carried on in much the following manner: The earth 

 is gathered, and brought to a central plant where it is placed on an 

 improvised filter usually made of wild cane stalks, weeds and leaves. 

 It is then washed with water which passes down into a collecting 

 gutter and then to a receiving tank. This liquor, dark colored owing 

 to the dissolved organic matter is boiled in kettles to such a point 

 that the nitrate will crystallize out; this is indicated by the Beaume 

 hydrometer. The liquor containing the salt is then drawn off and 

 boiled down until the salt crystallizes out. Both products are refined 

 by reboiling with fresh water; after crystallizing out and drying, 



