224 The Potash Deposits of Germany. [july, 



is calculated that the average amount of pure potash applied to 

 agricultural land in Germany has grown since 1890 from 69 lb. 

 to 392 lb. per 100 acres. 



The production of kainit and other salts in the German 

 Empire in 1904 and 1903, according to the official returns, 

 was : — 





1904. 



1903. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



Quantity. 



Value. 



Kainit ... 



Other Potash Salts ... 



1 



Cwt. 



37,507,974 

 42,891,989 



£ 



1.328,000 

 1,1 15,000 



Cwt. 



30,646,542 

 40,810,810 



£ 



1 ,094,000 

 J ,049,000 



The exports of potash salts in 1904 amounted to 12,433,000 

 cwt., compared with 9,867,000 cwt. in 1903 and 9,215,000 cwt. in 

 1900. The United States is the largest customer, taking in 1904 

 6,784,000 cwt., Sweden and Holland come next, while 892,000 

 cwt. are returned as exported to Great Britain. 



In this connection it is of interest to note that a proposal has 

 recently been made for restricting the export in order to 

 maintain the supply available for home consumption. At a 

 meeting of the German LandwirtscJuiftsrat (February, 1906) it 

 was pointed out that potash is one of the most important plant 

 foods, and is indispensable to the agricultural industry of 

 Germany, whilst at the same time it forms an important raw 

 product for numerous home industries. Both farmers and 

 traders have a very decided interest in seeing that potash is 

 always available for home consumption at moderate prices. 

 For this reason it was urged that precautions should be taken 

 to preserve the potash contained in German soil in the first 

 place for the use of Germany. This, it was suggested, could be 

 most easily done by the State acquiring the whole of the potash 

 mines, but as this was an end which could not be reached at once, 

 the German LandzvirtscJiaftsrat proposed as a first step that the 

 State should so far extend its direct share in the supply of potash 

 as to be able at all times to exercise a preponderating influence in 

 fixing its price, while to avoid its shipment to foreign countries 

 the introduction of an export duty was recommended. 



