16 BULLETIN 102, PART 2, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
Potassium is a very common element. Only seven others are more 
abundant. There is more potash in the crust of the earth than there 
is water upon it. The trouble is that, unlike water, potassium com- 
pounds are concentrated at only a few places on the globe; and at 
one of these, the famous Stassfurt deposits in Prussian Saxony, the 
concentration is in such richness and bulk that this single deposit has 
for many decades dominated the world in regard to this valuable 
element. It had to be so, for the problem was not to get potash, but 
to get cheap potash. 
The German deposits were discovered some 60 years ago in con- 
nection with deep borings put down in search of rock-salt beds, the 
region having previously been productive of that more common 
substance; and as the demand for potash salts grew, developments 
opened up beds and lenses of practically pure potash minerals of re- 
markable extent and in such form as to be very readily and cheaply 
mined. While recent figures are not available as to the tonnage of 
potash in sight in these deposits, there is no question but that the 
supply is sufficient to meet the needs of the whole world for a very 
long period. 
The localization of an indispensable mineral deposit within the 
confines of a single country is in many respects disadvantageous for 
other countries, at least under the existing order of things. The 
United States came to a realization of that fact in a general way 
some years ago, as a result of which both the Agricultural Depart- 
ment and the Geological Survey began a systematic search for do- 
mestic sources of supply; but not until the present war cut offi en- 
tirely the imports of German potash did this country come to a full 
appreciation of the significance of the situation. As the result, 
therefore, partly of governmental anticipation (the only conspicuous 
example of such a course of action in the field of mineral products) 
and partly of war-inspired activity growing out of soaring potash 
prices, this country is now producing from a variety of sources a sig- 
nificant but still inadequate supply. A glance at the chart will show 
the discrepancy between normal consumption and the domestic pro- 
duction for 1916. During the first half of 1917 the home output has 
practically trebled its rate of production, but on this basis the total 
supply for the present year will scarcely exceed 12 per cent of the 
needed amount. While most of the German potash went into fer- 
tilizers, still a significant quantity was utilized in many other chem- 
ical industries. Some of these have met the issue by substituting in 
their manufacturing processes sodium salts, of which we have abun- 
dant reserves; but that, of course, is impossible in regard to fer- 
tilizers. 
Practically the only domestic source of potash at the outbreak of 
the European war was a small recovery made from wood ashes, 
