STASSFURT SALTS - iSl 



12.50 per cent, potash, and is one of the most import- 

 ant of the Stassfurt salts. It is extensively used as a 

 potash fertilizer, and is also mixed with other mater- 

 ials and sold as a commercial fertilizer. The mag- 

 nesium chloride causes it to absorb water, and the 

 presence of other compounds results in the formation 

 of hard lumps, whenever kainit is kept for a long 

 time. Kainit is soluble in water, and can be used as 

 a top dressing at the rate of 75 to 200 pounds or more 

 per acre. 



235. Muriate of Potash. This material is exten- 

 sively used as a fertilizer and is valuable for general 

 garden and farm crops. It is a manufactured product 

 and ranges in purity from 60 to 95 per cent, of potas- 

 sium chloride, equivalent to from 35 to 60 per cent, of 

 potash, the chief impurity being sodium chloride. 

 Potassium chloride is readily soluble and is a quick 

 acting fertilizer. When used in large amounts, mu- 

 riate of potash and other chlorides may unfavorably 

 affect the quality of some crops as potatoes, sugar 

 beets and tobacco. Ordinarily, muriate of potash is 

 one of the cheapest and most active forms of potash 

 and can be used as a top dressing at the rate of 200 

 pounds or more per acre when preparing soils for 

 crops. It is valuable for grass and grain crops, and 

 has given good results on pasty lands. 93 



236. Sulphate of Potash. High-grade sulphate 

 of potash is prepared from some of the crude Stassfurt 

 salts, and may contain as high as 97 per cent. K 2 SO . 

 Low-grade sulphate of potash is about 90 per cent, 

 pure. High-grade sulphate of potash contains about 



