THE STASSFURT INDUSTRY. 



Early in the last century, Stassfurt, in Northern Germany (in the 

 province of Saxony), was noted for its extensive salt-works, which 

 employed on y the unscientific pan process of evaporating water from 

 a natural brine, obtained by pumping from driven salt-wells. This 

 method was slow, wasteful and expensive, so that when deposits of 

 solid rock-salt were discovered in various places, this evaporated 

 product could not compete against the mined crystal salt. 



Thus, the Stassfurt Works ceased to yield their former large revenue 

 to the Prussian Government. In fact, owing to the condition of the 

 salt market, these works became dead property, and with the hope of 

 turning them to some profit, the Prussian Government began borings 

 for rock salt in 1839. A shaft was sunk (begun in 1852) and in 1857, 

 at a depth of 1080 feet, a stratum of rock salt was discovered, after 

 having drilled through a deposit of so-called " Abraumsalze " (refuse 

 salts), consisting largely of potash and magnesia compounds, which 

 were then considered worthless, but now are known to be of inestima- 

 ble value to the agricultural and the manufacturing world. 



Up to that time wood ashes were the only source of potash, and, as 

 their supply was limited and decreasing in quantity, they could 

 scarcely supply the demands of the chemical industries. Then came 

 the patient and skilled researches and startling discoveries of that 

 great scientist Liebig. By him and his influence the secrets of plant- 

 food and plant-growth became known, and it was discovered that 

 potash was one of the ingredients, important and necessary to the 

 sustenance of plant-life. 



In the light of these discoveries, the vast potash deposits at Stass- 

 furt forthwith attracted attention, and mining for these salts was pres- 

 ently begun. Soon both the crude salts and the refined articles in 

 various forms were put upon the market and placed within the reach 

 of the cultivator. 



The success of potash fertilization, in increasing yields and im- 

 proving the quality of fruits, grains and forage, soon created an enor- 

 mous demand for the Stassfurt Potash Salts — a demand which has 



