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AMERICU5 WEEKLY TIMES-RECCRDER. FRIDAY MAY 29, 1903.
STATE CHEMIST’S TALK
A Treatise on Agricultural
Chemistry.
AN
INTERESTING RESUME.
Potash—Its Improtance as a Plant
Food; Sources From Which Derived.
Wood Asht s—Stascfust Deposits..
The only source of potash known
to our fathers was ashes, mainly wood
ashes, and while potash from this
source Is a most excellent manure,
yet evidently the quantity available
must be quite limited. The great
majority of soils, especially those
which contain much clay, usually hold
a large reserve of potash, aud do not
appear to tequiro the special applica
tion of |»otash as a manure. Light
sandy soils on the other baud, and
some clay soils also appear to be quite
deficient in potash and are much bene
fited by applications of that fertilizer.
Soils of this nature, therefore, stand
as much in need of constant potash ma
nuring as of phosphoric acid and ni
trogen applications.
Wood ashes, whilst they may bo
cheap and easily obtained in countries
where large forest areas are to be
cleared, in older countries cannot be
so easily obtained. Long before fer
tilisers became a commercial commod
ity wood ashes were highly thought
of by farmers. But usually when a
farmer buys ashes ho buys in the
dark, owing to the fact that ashes
vary so widely in their contents of
potash. As a rule, ashes from hard
woods are richer in potash than those
from EOft woods. The ash of the red
oak for instance contains about C per
cent of potash, that of the hickory
about 9 per cent, some pine woods
about 4% per cent. No definite per
centage, however, can be laid down for
any special wood, as the same wood
will vary In different localities, and
the wood of different parts of tho
same tree will vary, tho ashes from
the twigs and young limbs being rich
er in potash than tho ashes from tho
body or trunk of the tree.
It Is Impossible to fix the value of
a lot of ashes, except by special analy
sis of the particular lot, owing to this
great variability in composition, and
owing to the further fact that the
ashes may have been leached or mixed
with more or less dirt. The average
analysis for good unleached ashes may
be taken as 5 per cent of potash, 1%
per cent of phosphoric acid, and 32%
per cent of lime. According to the
values for fertilizers adopted for tho
present season, a ton of good average
ashes at the coast should be worth
four dollars and fifteen cents. This
calculatlon'allows no value to the lime,
although of course it has a decided val
ue on such soils as are deficient In It.
Luckily since the middle of the last
century, farmers have ceen no longer
compelled to rely on ashes as a source
of potash, but have come to adopt In
their stead almost universally what
are known as the German or Stassfurt
potash salts.
These salts are mined in Stassfurt
tn northern Germany, in tho province
of Saxony. They were discovered by
the Prussian government while boring
for rock salt about the year 1857. At
first they were considered worthless,
but soon the great Chemist Liebig
began publishing his discoveries con
cerning plant growth and nutrition,
showing potash to be an essential and
much-needed element In the growth
and development of plants. This led
to the development of the potash
mines, and the utilization for agricul
ture of the precious salts contained in
them. The first potash salt works
for tho manufacture and sale of the
potash salts was established In Stass
furt In 18G2. Some of the crude ores
are suited for agiicultural use just as
they are dug from tho mines, and are
known as Kainit, Camalllte, Sylvlnit,
or as II U more generally known In
thie country of acid phosphate of
lime. The materials necessary for
this manufacture are sulphuric acid
and phosphate rock. The plant re
quired for the manufacture of sul
phuric acid Is a costly one, and the
process is somewhat complicated
Either brimstone from Sicily, or
pyrites, which is a compound of sul
phur and iron, soma of which is im-
l>ortPd from SptGn and some produced
from mines lu this country, are the
raw materials used in the manufac
ture.
The brimstone or pyrites are burned
in specially constructed burners, and
the sulphurous gases which lesult from
the burning are caused to mix with
nitrous gases produced from nitrate of
soda, and drawn into great towers
made of lead and packed with flints;
thence they are drawn into immense
leaden chambeis or rooms, usually
three in a row connected together. In
these chambers the sulphurous and ni
trous gases are mixed with steam, and
condensed into sulphuric acid, which
fails in rain on the floors of the lead
en chambers. L is necessary to con
struct these chambers of lead, because
almost any other material would be
destroyed and eaten out by the action
of this corrosive acid.
The phosphate rock Is hauled to the
factory, usually a building located
alongside the sulphuric acid chambers.
It is there thrown Into crushers which
break it into small pieces; thence con
veyed to the grinding machinery,
either -steel mills or buhrstones,
where it is pulverized into a line meal
Or flour. You would naturally ask
at this point, why not use this fine
phosphate meal directly on the soil,
without mixing it with the caustic
corrosive sulphuric acid? It is sim
ply because this meal is of a rocky
natifre and only dissolves with diffi
culty in the soli waters, and we have
seen plants require their food to he
easily soluble in water, so that tho
roots suck it in. Tho phosphate rock
meal, no matter how finely ground,
dissolves only to a very limited ex
tent in water, and it Is necessary to so
treat it as to liberate the rock-bound
phosphoric acid; and render It solu
ble In water. Hence the necessity
for the sulphuric ftcld.
The phosphate meal (say It is from
South Carolina rock, and contains 28
per cent of phosphoric acid, combined
with lime to form Cl per cent of bone
phosphate of lime) Is first weighed,
and we will take say 1,000 pounds of
It, and dump It Into a circular east-iron
mixer, into which has already been
introduced 1,000 pounds of sulphuric
acid of the proper strength.
The acid and ' meal aro now thor
oughly mixed togethed by machinery
in the Iron pan. The mixture be
comes very hot, the strong sulphurio
acid attacks the lime combined with
the phosphoric acid of the phosphate
meal with amazing and furious ener
gy and appropriates to itself the great
er part of the lime In the form of sul
phate of lime, gypsum or land-plaster,
and liberates the same moment the
phosphoric acid, which Is only allowed
to retain Its hold on a small part of
the lime, with which It was first com
bined.
This smaller portion of lime and
tho phosphoric acid with which it is
combined is what the chemists call
mono-calclc-phosphato, or superphos
phate of lime. It is also known as
tho acid phosphate of lime. This
acid phosphate of lime, or superphos
phate, is soluble In water; we have,
therefore, accomplished what we set
out to do, rendered the phosphoric
acid soluble. This dlcovery was made
by the great chemist Liebig, who thus
put the entire world in his debt, lay
ing the foundations of the great fer
tilizer Industry, and rendering an in
estimable boon to modern agriculture.
JOHN M. McCANDLESS,
State Chemist.
85 cents per pound, blit about 100
pounds may be obtained from Dr. A.
M. Winn & Son, of Lawrencevllle, Ga.,
at 15 cents per pound, or 12 cents a
pound, If as much os 10 pounds arc
bought; also 150 pounds can be obtain
ed from -Mr. J. T. Baxter, of Suwannee,
Ga., at the same price. The forego
ing information is furnished largely
by Mr. J, T. Baxter, who has success
fully grow n Rescue Grass.
STATE DEPT OF AGRICULTURE.
LIME, SALT AND SULPHUR.
Rescue Grass.
, , One of our friends has requested
The Kainit contains on an average of that we republish an article that ap-
about 12% per cent of potash, the 1 peared about two years ago on "Res-
Carnallite about 10 per cent, and the cue Grass.” We take pleasure in
Sylvinlt 1G per cent of potash. As complying with this request,
there Is a great demand for these | Rescue Grass Is probably the finest
products all over the world, and the for winter grazing and the most pro
freightage to long distances Is quite liflc In southern latitudes. It re-
an item, It became desirable to concern | quires a rich, loamy soli, and comes
trate the potash in these natural prod-! up In September, growing rapidly dur-
ucts as much as possible, so as to ing even the coldest winter. It affords
avoid the cost of transportation on the a rich pasturage of the most succu-
salts contained tn them useless to agri- . lent stems and leaves from December
culture. | 1 to May 1, or It may bo mowed for
The great factories of the “German hay two or three times during April
Kail Works” now prepare from the and May and then allowed to mature
crude Kainit. Carnallite and Sylvinlt, 1 a crop of seed, which in gathering
muriates of potash containing 45 per, will shatter, or leave enough seed on
cent, 50 per cent and 55 per cent of the ground to reseed the land, so that
actual potash, also sulphates of pot- J one sowing, if properly treated, will
ash containing from 48 to 62 per cent suffice.
of actual potash, also what Is known as I After mowing two or three times,
“Double Manure Salts” with 26 per from 100 to ISO bushels of seed may
cent of potash. A complete analy- ] be made on an acre. The seed may
sis of all these various products and . be sown from June to February, but
’ to get the best results It should be
For San Jose Scale Will Be Made as
a Summer Treatment
Tho need of an effective remedy for
the San Jose scale for summer us--
has lung been felt and although many
substances have been tried, nothing
has given anything like satisfaction.
For the past tw r o years I have been
experimenting with the lime, sulphur
and salt wash as a winter treatment
for scale and the results have been
quite satisfactory as set forth iu bul
letins 4 and 5 of the Georgia State
Board of Entomology.
During the present season I am mak
ing careful tests with this prepara
tion a3 a summer treatment for scale
and so far the results have been very
encouraging. While the mature in
sects are not Immediately killed by
applications of this wash the breed
ing is not only quickly checked, but
the young perish soon after they is-
auo. The presence of the wash pre
vents the young Insects from establish
ing themselves and they are either
killed by the caustic action of the
substance or perish from lack of food.
Just what takes place is not yet well
understood, but the fact remains that
tho young die and the parent insects
soon follow their example. And that
Is Just what is desired. Instead of
increasing at an incredible ratio, as
on untreated trees, the number of
ecales dwindle in the presence of this
wash until tho trees become compara
tively clean.
It should cot be understood, how
ever that this means eradication. At
present It seems that no wash can be
so thoroughly applied as to complete
ly destroy this pest. Tho object Is to
control and not to eradicate.
Application of the Wash.
Tho principal difficulty In the way
of applying summer washes Is the
presence of the foliage which is likely
to be injured by preparations of suf
ficient strength to he effective against
the San Jose scale. A thorough spray
ing of a tree is, therefore, not prac
tical and the application must be made
by hand., The trunk and larger limbs
can be thoroughly painted by means
of a brush or cloth mop and on young
trees, where the treatment Is most
needed, the application can be extended
to within a few inches of the tips of
the twigs. This may seem impracti
cal, but In the tests I found it not
difficult to quite thoroughly coat four-
year old poach trees. In our eommer.
clal peach orchards the trees aro
headed low and the limbs are in easy
reach.
A spray pump can be used to apply
the wash to the trunk and the lower
portion of the limbs and in this man
ner a large orchard can be gone over.
However, tho pump should be followed
by tho brush in order to extend the
application higher up the limbs. Con
tact of the wash with the foliage
should be avoided, although the de
struction of some leaves will neces
sarily result.
The time to make the application is
when living scales are found on the
trees. The San Jose scale will be
breeding quite rapidly during the
month of May, and an application dur
ing this month would effectively check
Its progress. As a general statement,
I would say that the greatest benefit
from any one application might be
expected in August or soon after the
fruit crop is harvested. During the
fall months the accumulation of scale
is greatest, as Is also the consequent
damage to the trees.
This, treatment is .especially recom
mended Tor application to Dadiy infest
ed trees likely to die it left untreated
until winter washes can be applied,
and for family orchards.'
Preparation of the Wash.
The same formula, but with greater
dilution, as used for winter work, has
been found satisfactory for summer
applications with the brush. This
formula may be stated as follows:
MRS. CARSON TESTIFIED.
Lime (unslaked) 30!hs.
Sulphur (ground) 20tbs.
Salt laths.
Water to make 100 gals.
For winter work only GO gallons of
water are used with this formula, blit
in the summer tests it was found that
a much weaker solution gave satis
factory results.
Place eight or ten gallons of water
in an iron kettle over a fire and when
it reaches the boiling point add the
lime, which immediately produce a
violent boiling. Stir in the sulphur
as rapidly as convenient and from time
to time add a small quantity of water
as needed to prevent boiling over or
burning. The sulphur gradually goes
Into solution and the mixture, at first
thick and pasty, becomes thinner amd
thinner, changing in color through
several shades of yellow. After at
least one hour’s constant boiling the
salt should be added and the boiling
continued for another half hour. Then
dilute with the required amount of
water, preferably hot water. If a
suitable boiler is convenient the mix
ture may be more economically cooked
in barrels by the use of steam.
When used from buckets as a paint
it should he constantly stirred and
applied warm. For spraying, It should
be strained through a fine wire net.
W. M. SCOTT,
State Entomologist
Macon Woman.Accused of tho Murder
of Young Rigsby.
Macon, May 23.—The courtroom and
galleries were packed last evening to
hear Mrs. Effie Carson, who killed J.
C. Rigsby last January, testify in the
sensational trial which is now in prog
ress in this city.
The woman related in detail the
story of the killing and her evidence
was listened to with the greatest in
terest and keenest attention.
She was cool, calm and without a
trace of emotion except when she re
ferred to a portion of her conversation
with Rigsby Just before she fired the
shots which tool; his life.
At times she was graphic, and when
she portrayed her feelings as Rigsby
stood before her in that office defaming
her name the recital took a tragical
turn rarely seen outside of stage life.
iMen, young anal old, strained every
faculty to hear her every word, watch
her every jesture and to miss nothing
of the look of mental agony shown in
the defendant’s face. From a note
book Mrs. Carson gave her version
of the killing and of the conversation
leading up to it, and to this she made
frequent reference, though at no time
was her delivery in the slightest halt
ing or her manner the least confused.
GULLED BY SHAHPERS.
$15,000 SUBSCRIBED.
Rome’s Street Car Line To Be Extend
ed to Lindale.
Rome, Ga., Hay -21.—Tho street car
line will be extended to Lindale, a dis
tance of 5 miles.
The citizens of Rome have subscrib
ed $15,000 to aid them, which was the
condition on which it would be built.
The papers have been forwarded ta
New Y’ork and Boston and only await
the signature of the capitalists to be
gin work.
Mr. Charles N. Fuller, who Is to di
rect the building, is here. In addi
tion to this, a boulevard 40 feet wide
will he bultt by the county to connect
the (two cities and will be macada
mized with fine rock.
A fine mine of graphite of first qual
ity and apparently inexhaustible in
quantity, has just been discovered
within S miles of Rome by Mr. J. W.
Mathis.
Two Men Arrested at Columbus For
Crooked Dealings.
Columbus, Ga., May 23.—F. D. Han
ris and J. S. Norris, two young mm
of pleasant address, who have been
in tho city for the past six weeks,
have been arrested on warrants sworn
out by the Central Federation of La
bor, through its president, O. E. Bar-
low, charging them with cheating and
swindling.
They have been working an adver
tising scheme among'the merchants
of Columbus which was indorsed by
the federation. The federation Indors
ed the sehemo in good faith, thinking
that the young mem were honest.
They were to publish an official la
bor manual, and for thid they ob
tained many advertisements. They col
lected the money for the ads. from
some of the merchants, but It Is alleg
ed failed to turn over tho books In
roturn, as per their contract, in some
cases. They are now im Jail awaiting
an Investigation.
The Cause of M any
Sudden D ei
disease
vital
Kidneys themselves break d
away cell by cell.
Bladder troubles most aiwa-j
a derangement of the kidney/' “ Sl
obtained quickest by a pr:r
the kidneys. If you are fee
can make no mistake by tak -p n,
Swamp-Root, the great kidney
bladder remedy.
It corrects Inability to hold uri-.
ing pain in passing it. and overcon,
unpleasant necessity of being
go often during the day, and to
times during the night. The miid
extraordinary effect of Swamp-Root
realized. It stands the highert f ;r
derfui cures of the most distressinc
Swamp-Root is pleasant to take
by all druggists in fifty-cent and'
sized bottles. You may
have a sample bottle of
this wonderful new dis
covery and a book that
tells all about It. both
nomoofEwan,
sent free by mail. Address Dr. Klim-
Binghamton, N. Y. When writir
reading this generous offer in this
Don't make any mistake, but
the name. Swamp-Root, Dr.
Swamp-Root, and the address, Bi:
N. Y., on every bottle
oingl
KIDNEY DISEA
To Camp at Chlckamauga.
Montgomery, Ala.. May 23.—Adju
tant General Brandon Has received a
letter from Colonel F. P. MltConnel,
of tho Third Alabama regiment, say
ing his officers desired to encamp at
Chlckamauga with the other Alabama
regiments, Instead of Montgomery, as
was first decided. It Is understood
that their wishes will be eompBed
with and that all the Alabama regi
ments will go Into camp at Chickamau-
ga with the regulars i-n a short time.
Accidentally Shot His Wife.
Talbotton, Ga., May 23.—While H.
Roscoe Perkins, general manager of the
Perkins Lumber company, at Paschall,
Ga.. was cleaning his pistol, it was ac
cidentally discharged, the ball strik
ing his wife In the arm. Inflicting a
painful wound. Mr. and Mrs. Per
kins left, for Augusta, where they will
remain until Mrs. Perkins fully recov
ers from the wound, which is not re
garded as serious.
Fatal Explosion on Steamer,
Quebec, Que., May 23.—The steamer
Coban from Sydney for Montreal was
badly damaged by an explosion thfj
morning. Three lives were losL
Met Tragic Death.
(Savannah, Ga., May 23.—W. L. John
son, foreman of the shingle department
of the Vale Royal lumber mill, was
crushed to death when work for the
day was about to begin. Ho and two
negro helpers were doing some work,
The attention of one was called away
momentarily, and then Johnson and fhs
other helper in some way, wore caught
by the belt. The negro was struck
senseless, but not seriously Injured.
Johnson, however, was hurled by the
belt against the large wheel, about
which It revolved and was crushed
between the belt and tho wheel. His
ribs and limbs were broken like slen
der sticks, and one arm was torn al
most entirely from its socket.
LONG STRIKE SETTLED.
Differences of Boilermakers and Union
Pacific Adjusted.
New York, May 23.—John McNeT,
grand president and organizer of the
Brotherhood of -Boilermakers amdi Iron
Shipbuilders of America, in a state
ment issued today says that the strike
of the boilermakers of the Union Pa
cific Inaugurated on June 19, 1902, haa
been settled, the men being granted a
substantial Increase in wages and
other questions arranged satisfactorily
to both parties. A sympathetic strike
was ordered on the Southern Pacific
A handsome watch, guaranteed!
feet timekeeper or solid 18K Gold ’
trinn Diamond King for telling “
pieces of onr jewelry at lOo each
wait bnt send today, Enclos-
when through the Influence of E. H. , a guarantee of good faith.
Harriman a conference was arranged
and conducted in this city during the
last few -Clays.
are the most fatal of
eases.
FOLEY’S
KIDNEY
Guaranteed
or money refunded. Cont
remedies recognized by
nent physicians as the best
Kidney and Bladder troui
PRICE 50c. and $1.00.
Eldridge Drug Store
PARKER
HAIR BALSA!
Cleanse* and brautifii
Promote* a luxuriant
Never Falla to Ben
Hair to its Youthful
Corea ic&Ip disease* it
&>c. and f 1.0
t Dm
CHICHESTER'S ENGLISH
PENNYROyflLP
^VVc\ 8AFE . Always reliable. Ladle*.
kFE. Always reliable. Ladle*,
for CIIICHKSTKH’.S K.
KED ant Uold metalli
h blue ribbon. Take no ol
Danfferoua Kubatltutlona
Ilona.
stamps for Particular*,
and •*Belief for Ladle*,'
Mall. J 0.000 T«
- - e \ {
Chleatater C'hi
For Sale.
Nice building lot on
street.
A Bargain.—Fine
Mill In perfect order and
patronage. Location, Coll
street and S. A. L.
Capacity 300 bushels per d
H. T. DAVENPORT
Real Estate Agent
Watch or Gold Ring Fre
GEO. W. ELBOD & CO.
No. tSO and 182 Cotton Aveni
America),
some others will bo found on another
page of this bulletin.
These deposits aro practically inex
haustible in quantity and will supply
the agricultural world for many years
to come. Should they ever become
exhausted doubtless new discoveries
will be made, and if not, potash could
doubtless he obtained, though, of
course, at greater cost, from such wa
ters as those of the “Dead Sea.” There
need, therefore, 'be no fear of the sup
ply running short. Having now giv
en you a Brief account of tho differ
ent raw materials used in the man
ufacture of "guano.” or commercial
fertilizers, we will next consider the
methods In use by the manufacturers
for converting theso raw materials
into finished products.
The Acid Phoephate Industry—Descrip
tion of Process of Manufacture.
The foundation of the great modern
Industry of commercial fertilizers is
(bo manufacture of superphosphate
sown in June, when peas are sown for
forage.
There are some peculiarities about
this grass seed, it will not germinate
in summer. The colder the weather
In winter, the faster it grows, unless
the stems have commenced Jointing,
when a freeze will kill it down, only
to come out again, however, greatly
Increased in thickness. When not
mowed, the grass grows slowly, but
when it Is mowed or grazed upon, the
growth Is hastened. The plots upon
which the grass has been sown can
ho broken up from June 1 to 15, fertil
ized and sown in peas, or planted in
corn and field beans. By this meth
od the grass will not only- be im
proved, 'hut splendid crops of peavine
lxay, or of com and- beans can be made
The seed that are left on the ground
in May will He dormant until the sool
nights in September.
The seed are quoted by seed men ai
What can better enable you
Refrigerators, Hammocks,
* «.
lce|jCream Sets,
Cane Rockers,
Jardiners,
Domestic and Imported.
LIFE!! ! !
to do so. in hot weather, than
Berry Sets, inC hina a nd®
Mosquito Nets,
Lawn Setees,
Dragon, of course Go Carts
A.
all of which we offer.
W. SMITH FURNITURE GO.
Corner Jackson and Forsyth Sts.; Americus, Ga.