1895 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
3oi 
“SIR, GIVE ME YOUR ANALYSIS!” 
WHAT DOES “ POTASH S” MEAN ? 
A Fertilizer Analysis Analyzed. 
I am very much interested in The R. N.-Y., particularly in 
Primer Science. I notice that in the table of analyses of the differ¬ 
ent elements used in the manufacture of commercial fertilizers, 
you give sulphate of potash as containing 50 per cent of pure pot¬ 
ash, and also that muriate of potash is rated as containing 50 per 
cent of potash. I also have a circular or statement prepared for 
distribution at farmers’ institutes, by Dr. L. L. Van Slyke, Agri¬ 
cultural Chemist of the Geneva Experiment Station, in which .a 
different rating is given each of those substances. Muriate of 
potash is given as containing51.50 per cent of potash, and sulphate 
of potash, 33.40 per cent. This confuses me, for I am disposed to 
consider both The R. N.-Y. and the experiment station as reliable 
instructors in farm science. Although I am an old man, I have 
but recently given much thought to the composition of fertilizers, 
and to the variations in their combinations to fit them for the 
needs of different crops. When asked by a dealer to give him my 
custom. I say, “ Sir, give me your analysis!" Well, sometimes I 
get it, but oftener I am told it will be upon the bags ; or that his 
is as good as Bradley’s or any other man’s make, etc. We will 
suppose that he produces his analysis; let it be as follows : 
Nitrogen equivalent to ammonia. 2 to 3 
Phosphoric acid, available. 5 y 2 to 7 
Phosphoric acid, insoluble. 1 to 2 
Potash S. 8 to 10 
I ask him how much nitrogen the ammonia is equivalent to, and 
he says that one is just the same as the other. I think that I 
know better, but then it isn’t polite to dispute him, and in my 
mind I rate it at about 14 to 17 cents ; that is, when nitrogen is 
worth 17 cents per pound, ammonia is worth 14 according to the 
teachings of The R. N.-Y. Of the phosphoric acid, how much is 
soluble and how much reverted ? But I let that go as both have 
good value. Next comes the stumper (“Potash S,” 8 tolO percent). 
What does it mean? Sulphate of potash, 50 per cent of which is 
pure potash, worth five cents? Or does it mean pure potash 
derived from sulphate of potash ? My agent says that it means 
pure potash, but evidently he doesn’t know; but you see it makes 
a wide difference which way you figure it, as to its cost and value. 
The above is not a supposed case, and the agent is a reputable 
man, having faith in his goods. But I must buy on my own 
judgment and knowledge of value, which I could readily ascer¬ 
tain if my analysis was a little clearer. Can The R. N.-Y. tell us 
what Potash S 8 to 10 per cent, figures out ? I say us, for I find 
that most of my farmer friends are as much in the dark as my- 
sdf. Can’t the agricultural press influence legislation to the ex¬ 
tent that the fertilizer men shall give us an analysis that won't be 
a riddle hard to solve ? r. t. w. 
St. Lawrence County, N. Y. 
R. N.-Y.—Such letters are very helpful, because 
they indicate just the points that farmers wish to know 
about. We answer at once to help those who have 
not already bought their fertilizers. Chemically pure 
muriate of potash contains, by weight, (33% per cent 
of actual potash, while the perfectly puresulphate con¬ 
tains 54 per cent of potash. As we have pointed out, 
these substances are never sold in an absolutely pure 
form. As dug from the mine, they contain more or less 
impurities, and, of course, there is quite a little water 
to make weight. As ordinarily sold, what is called 
“ high-grade sulphate ” contains over 'JO per cent of 
pure sulphate, which will mean about 50 per cent of 
actual potash. The commercial muriate contains about 
80 per cent of pure muriate, or about 50 per cent of 
actual potash. It is safe to consider that average 
“ high-grade sulphate’ and “ muriate” as commonly 
sold, contain about 50 per cent of actual potash— 
though we would uever buy them separately without 
a guarantee to that effect. Of late years, a substance 
called “ double sulphate ” or “ double manure salt” 
has been sold, and its name often confuses farmers. 
This substance is a mixture of the sulphates of potash 
and magnesia, and contains on the average, about 26 
per cent of actual potash. 
You are all right on the “ ammonia” and nitrogen 
equivalents. In the last number of “ Primer Science,” 
you will tinri more rules for testing the value of the ni- 
ti-ogen. You have the right idea about the phosphoric 
acid. The potash problem may well puzzle a farmer. 
The only safe way to buy, is to compel the agent or man¬ 
ufacturer to guarantee the amount of actual potash by it¬ 
self, and make his statement as to whether it is derived 
from sulphate or muriate, in a separate line. The form 
given last week is very satisfactory in this respect. 
In the analysis you give, “Potash S 8 to 10” may mean 
almost anything. The agent would like to have the 
farmer believe that eight per cent of the whole weight 
is actual potash, when it isn’t so at all. Putting that 
“ S ” in there, would give them a chance to hedge and 
say “ eight per cent of the whole would be sulphate if 
it were all in that form.” It would be just like saying 
that a sandwich contains “ 60 per cent flour B.” That 
B would mean that the flour is in the form of bread, 
and every cook would know that not half the weight 
of the bread is actual flour. 
By putting that “S” in there, the manufacturer 
might use that “ double sulphate,” and still clear 
himself, though only one-fourth of the guarantee would 
represent actual potash. When reputable firms state 
that they use “ high-grade sulphate,” and then give 
their percentage as *'potash sulphate,” it is safe to 
divide their lowest estimate by two, as the amount of 
actual potash guaranteed. 
In our own practice, we would never buy an ounce 
of fertilizer until the manufacturer guaranteed the 
amount of actual potash it contains—aside from any 
statement about •• sulphates ” or anything else. That 
is the only safe way to do. and we urge our readers to 
demand just such a guarantee, no matter what the 
agent tries to tell them. Stand firmly on the principles 
laid down in this letter, and you will obtain more for 
your money. There are too many fertilizer agents 
who only know what is printed in their catalogues. 
Like the one here mentioned, they will tell you that 
“ ammonia ” and “ nitrogen ” mean the same thing, or 
that by putting that “ S ” in they double the real 
amount of actual potash in their fertilizers. You know 
better than that if you have read “ Primer Science ” 
with any care. Your plants can't live on the letter 
“S” in place of potash, though these puzzling analyses 
have led farmers to spend thousands of dollars in a 
false belief that they were obtaining potash for their 
money. 
Fob the past few years, a ridiculous “scientist” in 
Boston has been filling some of the agricultural 
papers with articles claiming that soda will take the 
place of potash in fertilizers. About all that he has 
succeeded in proving, is the carelessness and lack of 
accurate knowledge of the average agricultural editor. 
Truly scientific men have again and again exposed 
the folly of this man’s claims, yet week after week 
papers come to this office claiming the same old story. 
Now we have a new “discovery” to feed the eloquence 
of our agricultural editors. This time it is “ Bread 
from Stones,” which is the title of an ingenious 
pamphlet said to be written by JuliusjHensel, a German 
chemist. Briefly stated, Ilensel’s argument is that 
our soils are nothing but powdered rock. They have 
been exhausted by leaching and cropping. Let us 
restore them by going back to their source, and grind¬ 
ing granite rocks to be used as fertilizer ! Incident¬ 
ally he says that Liebig and agricultural chemists 
generally, are all wrong, and that our modern system 
of fertilizing has done more harm than good. The 
editor of that great (?) agricultural paper the Weekly 
N. Y. Tribune, gave this new “discovery” a great pat 
on the back. The same paper prints the stuff about 
substituting soda for potash. The R. N.-Y. purposes 
to stay by nitrogen, potash and phosphoric acid in 
forms ranging from clover down to wood ashes. All 
it will pay t'or powdered granite is the market price 
of the available potash and phosphoric acid it con¬ 
tains. We would rather have a load of good powdered 
sand, or half a load of good black muck. In the 
articles on “soils” just begun in 1’rimer Science, we 
shall talk more about this. Just now, the following 
note from a well-known American chemist satisfies us : 
X do not regard the stone meal question as worthy of scientific 
study. There is no question as to the value of very finely ground 
granite rock as a source of plant food materials, but its use, in 
my opinion, is entirely impracticable. A better use for stone is 
the making of good roads, by means of which the cost of trans¬ 
portation of farm products, grown by virtue of an intelligent and 
economical use of readily available plant food, may be reduced. 
If all our farmers and editors would subscribe to the 
truths iu this last paragraph, the world would really 
move. We trust this explanation will satisfy those 
who have asked for The R. N.-Y.’s opinion about 
“stone meal.” We regard it as a pretty theory and 
that is all. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
On the woman’s page, will be found the advertisement of Myra 
V. Norys. This lady is a valued contributor of The R. N.-Y. For 
many months she has been a “ shut in.’’ Happily she is now get¬ 
ting out again to bespeak a share of her old readers’ patronage. 
She deserves it. 
The R. N.-Y. has visited the farm of Ed. S. Hill, Peruville, N. Y. 
His Cheshire pigs are first-class, and his seed corn is giving ex¬ 
cellent satisfaction. Mr. Hill is a good man to deal with. He 
started with the intention of breeding only “ the best.” He has 
kept this plan up, too. 
The most important part of a building is the roof. If the roof 
leaks, there’s dampness everywhere. Better attend to it now, 
before the crops are housed, and damaged by the water that 
comes through the old roof. The Sykes Iron & SteN Roofing Co., 
Niles, O., will put you in the way of avoiding all this loss and 
vexation. 
A few days’ delay in putting in a crop in the spring, may mean 
failure. Oftentimes you can’t avoid this delay if your land isn’t 
properly underdrained. The loss in a single year may be enough 
to pay for the work. John H. Jackson, Albany, N. Y., will be 
glad to furnish you tile of any kind. There are none better and 
none so good as cheap. Write him. 
The cheapest thing in the world is air. Wind is air in motion 
Why not harness this free power to a Perkins windmill, and do 
your pumping, grinding, etc., cheaper and easier than ever be¬ 
fore. This is one of the oldest firms in the windmill business, and 
their warrant covers everything. Ask Perkins Windmill Co., Race 
Street, Mishawaka, Ind., for catalogue. 
When your neighbors are reveling in strawberries and other 
fruits this summer, and you are going hungry, how your mouth 
will water, and how you’ll wish that you’d set some plants before. 
Better write to-day to L. J. Farmer, Pulaski, N. Y., and see what 
bargains he can give you in plants. If you do this, and buy and 
care for the plants, you can do the reveling yourself next year. 
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At the meeting of the Western New York Horticultural Society 
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