THE POTASH FERTILIZERS. 



245 



ative low cost, has been more generally applied than before. 

 The higher grades of the sulphate of potassa have been in 

 considerable demand for the cultivation of tobacco, potatoes, 

 and other special crops. The supply of this kind of potash- 

 salts from Germany has been insufficient, and at the same 

 time it has been of a doubtful character. To meet an urgent 

 demand, quite a considerable quantity of the muriate of pot- 

 ash has been converted, by parties in Boston and New York 

 City, into sulphate of potassa by means of sulphuric acid. 

 Some of these products contained as high as 78 per cent, of 

 sulphate of potassa, or 42 to 43 per cent, of potassium oxide ; 

 many, however, only from 30 to 35 per cent, of the latter. 

 The subsequent analytical statements give a fair representa- 

 tion of the character of the various qualities of the German 

 potash-salts sold within the State. 



A. — Muriate of Potash. 



Potassium oxide, 



Sodium oxide, 



Chlorine, 



Moisture, 



Insoluble matter (in water), 



52.40 



8.89 



0.44 



These samples were obtained from dealers in Boston (I., II., 

 IV.) and in Greeufield, Mass. (HI.) ; their stated composi- 

 tion corresponded quite closely with the represented value ; 

 they contained from 80 to 84 per cent, of muriate of potash, 

 or chloride of potassium, and from 13 to 16 per cent, of chlo- 

 ride of sodium or common salt ; their retail price has been from 

 $55 to $60 per ton of 2,000 pounds, or from 5.5 cents to 6 

 cents per pound of potassium oxide, making the muriate of 

 potash one of the cheapest sources of the latter for general 

 agricultural purposes. The prospects are, that in case of 

 a European war, its price will be raised in consequence of an 

 increased demand for the manufacture of saltpetre for gun- 

 powder. 



