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Show NATURAL RESOURCES OF OUR SOILS In a previous lssuo reference was made to tho handicap placed on food productions In tho United States by Germany's monoply of tho potash supply. Many of our rockles contain potash, pot-ash, but no method of working- It profitable has yet been devised. The old time housowlves used to get potash pot-ash out of wood ashes, but only 220 tons aro figured to havo been secured from this sourco last year. Hopes havo been entertalnod of doposlts on government reservations In California, Cal-ifornia, but only 3394 tons were got out In 131C. Also tho government was hopeful that It could be extracted In large quanltlcs from kelp on tho coast of H California, but only 1000 tons wero Bl secured last year. There lsan enor- Ml nious reward In money and famo for f 1 the man who will flnean American i supply of this plant food. We havo I already paid Germany $20,000,000 1 ( In past years for potash. Wo must I j face tho fact that sho may bo ugly I about letting us havo It after tho war. I A ton of wheat takes from tho soil 47 pounds nitrogen, 18pounds ' t phosphoric acid, and 12 pounds dot- ; j ash. Peru and Chile aro tho gront ,h sources of nitrate supply. From thoso J beds 5.5,000,000 tons have been , m taken out. The experts In thoso coun- fe u) M trle3 think tho supply Is In danger mt J of exhaustion. Sclenalsts of ours sayi Wm' there Is no danger of It. At any rate WS thoro Is always the possibility of tho Etj fixation of nitrogen from tho air. fj As to phosphates, tho United States El exported $7,000,000 worth last year, W so wo aro well cared for there. Gcr- El many is short of natural phosphates, El but Is getting them as a by-product fit In steel making. Lot every American farmer remember that keeping up soil facility Is a vital part of offi-, clont war making! Wo are well fitted fit-ted up for this In every respect but one, thanks to tho superb natural resources of our soils. |