A SURVEY OF THE FERTILIZER INDUSTRY. 13 
from molasses-distillery waste, of which 2,846 tons were produced in 
1917 and 3,322 tons in 1918, according to the Geological Survey 
estimates. When this quantity is added to the above total, the pro- 
duction appears to have been about 57,000 tons. It seems likely, 
therefore, that the total production for the year fell not less than 
3,000 tons, and probably over 5,000 tons, below the estimate of 
60,000 tons current during the year. It will be seen that more than 
four-fifths of the potash is derived from mineral sources and that 
among these sources lake brines alone account for considerably over 
two-thirds of the potash. The next most important source in 1918 
was kelp, the giant seaweed of the Pacific coast, from which over 
5,000 tons of K,O was derived during the year. Some of the other 
important sources are alunite, beet-sugar factory waste, cement dust, 
and tobacco waste. ‘ 
With the signing of the armistice and the cessation of hostilities 
the question arose whether the American potash industry which was 
created by the war emergency will be able to survive under normal 
conditions. In prewar years the United States consumed about 
250,000 tons of potash a year, practically all of which was imported 
from Germany. When the German supply was cut off in 1914, the 
United States turned its attention to domestic production, which has 
increased from year to year, reaching during 1918 the figure of 53,000 
tons, or about one-fifth of the annual prewar consumption. Some 
crops probably have suffered during this period from a lack of potash, 
but the main needs of the country were supplied in spite of this tem- 
porary decline in the consumption of potash. The price of potash 
rose from between 75 cents and $1 a unit to between $4 and $5 a unit, 
and even more, and with this great increase in price the domestic 
manufacturers entered the field of production. Whether they will 
be able permanently to compete with European potash is an open 
question. 
PRODUCTION OF MIXED FERTILIZERS. 
Table X shows the production of mixed fertilizer during 1917 and 
1918. It also shows the quantity of acid phosphate and other ingre- 
dients sold as such. 
TABLE X.—Production of mixed fertilizer and fertilizer materials sold as such reported by 
fertilizer manufacturers. 
[2,000-pound tons.] 
Kind of material. 1917 1918 Kind of material. 1917 1918 
Mixed fertilizer produced..| 4,442,528 | 4,957,799 || Tankage............--...-- 8,114 37, 827 
Materials sold as such: Blood en ee ee eee scans 3, 126 2, 304 
Acid phosphate........| 2,097,232 | 2,024,574.|| Fishscrap...............-- 1,749 1, 889 
Phosphate rock.......- 393 542 || Cottonseed meal.........-. 6, 682 7, 987 
Bones: Natural guano..........-... 1, 152 6, 266 
Raw bones........ 10, 023 7,532 || Nitrate ofsoda.........-.- 7, 241 11, 334 
Steamed bones... . 698 3, 249 || Ammonium sulphate. ..... 531 , 334 
Raw bone meal.... 15 AG 45, 707 | Cyanamid. iF... 0 S28. 117 4 
Steamed bonemeal 6 1, 336 
