i 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
elements ending in oils but the only dif¬ 
ference in the formula is that it has one 
atom more of oxygen. 
The name “Sulphate of potash” tells 
us it is a salt formed by the hydrogen 
in sulphuric acid being displaced by the 
base KOH. We wonder how it “works 
out” so turn to acid formulas. Sulphur¬ 
ic acid is H2SO4 and we write out our 
example: 
H2SO4 * 2 KOH = K2SO4 + 2H2O 
Sulphuric Potassium Sulphate Water 
Acid Hydroxyl Potash 
It would take too long to explain 
why we take KOH twice but there is a 
reason given in chemistry under the head 
of “valence.” 
What we buy as high grade sulphate 
of potash is guaranteed to be from 90 
to 95 per cent chemically pure and to 
give 49 per cent K2O. Let us reckon it 
out. An atom is so inconceivably small 
it cannot be weighed and the calculation 
must be made by proportion. As hydro¬ 
gen is the lightest substance known, oth¬ 
er atoms are said to weigh “so many 
times as much as hydrogen.” We turn 
to the table of atomic weights and find 
two atoms of potassium weigh 78.2, one 
atom of sulphur, 32, and four atoms of 
oxygen, 64; making the molecules 
K2SO4 an d K2O weigh 174.2 and 94.2 
respectively. Therefore in 174.2 ounces, 
pounds or tons of sulphate of potash 
(K2SO4), 94- 2 ounces, pounds or tons 
would be pure potash (K2O). We have 
to buy 193.55 lbs, of 90 per cent sul¬ 
phate, or 183.36 lbs. of 95 per cent sul¬ 
phate to get 174.2 lbs. of pure sulphate 
(K2SO4). Our 94.2 lbs. K2O is 47.63 
per cent of the former and 51.3 per cent 
of the latter, so we are sure of our prom¬ 
ised 49 per cent, and we see all these for¬ 
133 
mulas and per cents that have seemingly 
been so intricate are readily mastered 
when given a little thought. But—do I 
hear not one but many ask what is that 
10 per cent of the high grade and 52 per 
cent of the low grade sulphate of potash 
that is not sulphate of potash chemically. 
It is a variety of natural salts formed 
with the sulphate of potash and not en¬ 
tirely removed because of the expense. 
They do no damage and indeed many 
consider the large percentage of sulphate 
of magnesia found in the low grade a 
decided advantage. 
Though we do not use muriate of pot¬ 
ash on our trees, as we were looking at 
the acid formulas, we wondered what el¬ 
ement gave it the name “Muriate” and 
glanced down the list but did not find it. 
It was some weeks before we stumbled 
across the statement that “Sulphuric 
acid is often called ‘oil of vitriol’ and 
hydrochloric acid is generally known as 
‘muriatic.’ Muriate of potash then would 
really be chloride of potassium, (Kcl), 
but why called ‘muriate’ ?”. A good friend 
tells us the name has its origin from the 
Latin “muria” meaning salt, because the 
acid was commonly made from salt or 
brine. We find salt is chloride of sodium 
(NaCli). Its chlorine is made to unite 
with hydrogen to form hydrochloric or 
“muriatic” acid (HCli). No wonder we 
are cautioned against the use of muriate 
of potash when chlorine will hurt the 
proposed crop—for nearly one-half of 
it is chlorine! 
Sulphate of ammonia ( 2 NH 4 ,S 04 ) 
should be called sulphate of ammonium. 
There is one atom more hydrogen in 
ammonium (NH4) than in ammonia 
(NH3). By far the greater portion of 
