64 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



whole mass once existed in the most numerous and the most 

 beautiful forms of animal life. 



The development of these deposits has been rapid since 

 18G7. It is said that $6,000,000 had been invested in this 

 industry as early as four or five years ago, and this amount 

 must have been greatly increased since that time. The ship- 

 ments amounted in 1871 to 27,355 tons, and in the first six 

 months of 1872 to 30,646 tons. It is stated that over 200,- 

 000 tons had been shipped previous to July 1st, 1872, valued 

 at $1,450,000. Of the amount, 90,000 tons had been shipped 

 to foreign, and 116,000 tons to northern ports. As sulphuric 

 acid is required to render the material easily soluble, it was 

 important to secure liberal supplies of it for use in the large 

 manufactories in and about Charleston, and this is also made 

 there in great quantities. Previous to July, 1872, no less 

 than 10,614 tons are reported as having been manufactured 

 there, and the facilities for pursuing this industry are among 

 the most extensive and complete to be found in this coun- 

 try. 



This wonderful discovery, taken in connection with that of 

 inexhaustible supplies of potash recently brought to light at 

 the Stassfurth Potash Salt Mines, in Prussia, must be regarded 

 as of vast importance to the agriculture as well as to the com- 

 merce of this country, and as one of the hopeful and encourag- 

 ing signs of the future growth and development of our material 

 resources. 



Col. Wilder. I have visited the phosphate beds at Charles- 

 ton, to which Mr. Flint has referred, and I agree with him 

 entirely in regard to the immense importance of those de- 

 posits. We have not yet had sufficient experience to be able 

 to say how they can be used to the best advantage by the 

 farmer ; but that these phosphates do contain the rich material 

 that Mr. Flint has told you of, there can be no doubt. There 

 can be no dishonesty at all in the analyses that have been 

 made, which show the richness of those beds, and their im- 

 portance to the present generation and to future ages. I 

 visited, in 1870, one of the factories at Charleston, where 

 superphosphate was manufactured, so as to make this mate- 

 rial immediately valuable to the farmer. At that time, this 



