POTASH I'KRTILIZERS 9 1 



hartsalz, sylvin, kieserit and schonit found in these deposits but 

 are not usually sold on the American market. 



1. Kainit as sold in this country is a finely ground, gray 

 colored and contains small red and yellow particles. This pot- 

 ash salt has been used more extensively in this country than any 

 of the others, but the kainit deposits are gradually becoming ex- 

 hausted so that it is not so common on our markets as formerly. 

 Kainit is made up of potassium, sodium and magnesium chlorides, 

 and potassium, magnesium and calcium sulphates. The potash 

 is present chiefly as sulphate but on account of the large amounts 

 o_f sodium and magnesium chlorides present, the potash has the 

 same action as if it were chloride. Kainit usually contains 12 to 

 12.5 per cent, of potash.* 



2. Sylvinit. — This salt when ground is much more red in color 

 than kainit. It is being used more in this country than formerly 

 because of the scarcity of true kainit. It is often sold in the 

 United States by the fertilizer manufacturers under the name of 

 kainit. Sylvinit consists chiefly of chlorides ; in fact is is com- 

 posed principally of sodium chloride and potassium chloride. It 

 carries from 12.5 to 15.5 per cent, of potash.* 



3. Muriate of Potash. — As has been said, this product is a 

 manufactured one. It is sold in large quantities in this country. 

 The crude salts of the mines are refined, during which process 

 most of the useless impurities are removed, as lime, magnesia, 

 soda, etc. The principal grades of muriate of potash as manu- 

 factured are: 



Actual potash (KjO) 

 Per cent. 



= 46.7 



= 52.7 



= 57.9 



= 62.0 



The product sold in the United States usually contains 80 per 

 cent, of muriate of potash which is equivalent to 50.5 per cent, 

 of potash.* 



4. Sulphate of Potash. — This is a yellow, dry, almost powdery 

 substance. It is sold containing 90 to 97 per cent, of sulphate of 



