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POTASH SHALES 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM A. WILLIS 
 
 THESIS 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE 
 
 IN 
 
 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 
 
 COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 1922 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2015 
 
 https://archive.org/details/postashshalesOOwebs 
 

 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 
 mY__27.^__i92.2__ 
 
 THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY SUPERVISION BY 
 
 -W-ILL-IAM 
 
 ENTITLED POTASS -SHA.LES 
 
 IS APPROVED BY ME AS FULFILLING THIS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 
 DEGREE OF BAQHELilB^.0F_5_QLEN0E 
 
 XS_QlimaAL_EIC3XIIEEBXHG 
 
 Instructor in Charge 
 
 Approved : 
 
 ACTING HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF _OHEMISTRY. 
 
k jT. 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 Page, 
 
 Acknowledgement* 1 
 
 I. Introduction, 2 
 
 II. History, 3 
 
 III. Experimental, 5 
 
 IV. Conclusion. d 
 
 Bibliography, 11 
 
1 
 

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2 
 
 Introduction. 
 
 In various parts of Illinois there are peaty soils 
 which are all more or less deficient in potassium as a 
 source of plant nutrition. Also, there are shale deposits 
 in this state that yield a quantity of potash sufficient 
 to maJ^e it valuable as a fertilizer, if this potash is in 
 a form which would render it available for plant use* 
 
 The work done upon the chemical constitution of 
 these shales and their adaptability for plant use has been 
 a subject of preliminary study in this laboratory. The 
 results obtained were in some of their phases inconsistent 
 and it is the purpose of this investigation to determine 
 the reasons for the results of certain experiments v/here 
 variable results were obtained. 
 
FT' 
 
3 
 
 History . 
 
 During the years of 1916 and 1917 certain Illinois 
 shales were "being studied in the laboratory of applied 
 chemistry here at the University of Illinois with reference 
 to the amount of oil they would produce upon destructive 
 distillation. Some of the soils proved to have a quantity 
 of oil, but not enough to make them of value from this 
 standpoint alone. They were, therefore, examined in search 
 of other values and certain samples were found to contain 
 considerable amounts of potash. 
 
 Shales from Dixon County and Union County, Illinois 
 were examined, and it was found that the potash in the 
 Dixon County shales was mostly in the feldspathic form, 
 while that from Union County more nearly resemble the 
 glanconitic form. At this time plant cultures were con- 
 ducted for the purpose of determining which form of potash 
 was the most beneficial for plant growth, and it was found 
 that the shale from Union County produced a marked improve- 
 ment in the growths, while but little improvement was de- 
 rived from the other* 
 
 In 1916 because of the potassium famine caused by 
 its use during the war a search for an American substitute 
 was initiated. This led to a series of pot cultures using 
 kainit, leucite, and alunite for their potassium content. 
 These tests spread over a period of three years and vary- 
 ing increases in yield were obtained. At a meeting of the 
 

Chemical Research Cluh in 1919, Prof. S, W, Parr sugges- 
 ted that the Union County shale of Illinois be tested 
 for its growth producing properties along with the kainit, 
 alunite, and leucite. The results obtsiined ^?ith the shale 
 v,rere ver^’ favorable. With corn fodder the yields v^ere: 
 kainit 93 grams per pot, alunite 73 grains, leucite 102, 
 and shale 165 grams. 
 
 There is another type of soil in Illinois, a gray 
 silt loan, which responds readily to the application of 
 soluble potassium salts. The shale was used with this 
 soil, but the yields v;ere only slightly increased. It 
 was thought that some change might have taken place in 
 the shale between applications. However, a fresh supply 
 of shale was obtained and this proved to be no better. 
 
 The agronomy department has been using the shale in 
 a series of cultures viith pure sand, so that the only 
 source of potassium is the shale. The results show con- 
 clusively that the shale does furnish the potassium in 
 a form available as plant food. 
 
5 
 
 Experimental . 
 
 In an endeavor to discover a reason for the vari- 
 ation in the yields produced with the different soils it 
 was first deemed necessary to make an analysis of the 
 tv/o soils used for various plant food constituents, on 
 the theory'' that the conversion of sulphur into a form 
 available for plant use might he an explanation for the 
 increased growths. Such an analysis might then indicate 
 the conditions -which were lacking. 
 
 Analyses v/ere made of the soils for water solu- 
 ahle and acid soluble iron, calcium and sulfate. 
 
 Original soils used in previous experiments. 
 
 Organic 
 
 Solvent 
 
 Peat Soil. 
 
 6N-HCI 
 
 - _ H2_0 
 
 Gray Silt 
 6IT-HC1, 
 
 Loam. 
 
 H 2 O 
 
 1 
 
 o 
 
 CO 
 
 .40 
 
 .22 
 
 .21 
 
 .19 
 
 Ca 
 
 . 50 
 
 .12 
 
 .97 
 
 .05 
 
 Fe 
 
 1,11 
 
 -- 
 
 1.45 
 
 -- 
 
 Total IT 
 
 3.22 
 
 .1.77 
 
 This soil was obtained 
 
 from a 
 
 This soil was obtained 
 
 farm eight 
 
 miles east 
 
 of Urbana, 
 
 from a farm near Momence. 
 
 Illinois, 
 
 
 
 Illinois. 
 
 

 
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 Before attempting the work it was thought that 
 the soil could be obtained for the purpose of conducting 
 pot cultures in an effort to duplicate the results first 
 obtained by M, M. Austin. The Agromony Department of 
 the College of Agriculture had supposedly some of the 
 original organic peat soil at their disposal and the 
 cultures with this soil was started when desired. This 
 soil was, however f a new supply obtained from the same 
 place. 
 
 It was necessary to secure the sandy loam from a 
 farm near Momence, Illinois, Heavy rains made it impos- 
 sible to remove this soil and caused great delay in start- 
 ing this set of cultures. During this time the Agronomy 
 Department was experimenting with shale and other essen- 
 tial plant foods, nitrogen being one of them. The results 
 produced were evidence that the shale furnished the po- 
 tassium, but did not secure vigorous plants. The reason 
 suggested was that there was a deficiency of nitrogen. 
 
 This would indicate seemingly by the analytical values 
 obtained for total nitrogen, nitrogen was therefore ad- 
 ded in the form of urea. 
 
 As far as possible these experiments are duplicates 
 of those performed by M, M. Austin, with variations in 
 fertilizer and combinations of fertilizer in an attempt 
 to show by the difference in the growth of the plants what 
 was lacking in the soil in order to keep the shal^ from 
 producing the desired results. 
 
8 
 
 Limestone was added to each pot at the rate of 
 sixty grams per pot, or five tons per acre. This v/as 
 sufficient to neutralizie the acidity of the soil and 
 also any acid that might be formed by the conversion 
 of all the pryitic sulfur into sulfuric acid. The 
 amount of potassium applied to the pots was 1.34 grams 
 (which is equivalent to five hundred pounds of potas- 
 sium sulfate per acre.) Magnesium chloride was applied 
 at the rate of 3.4 grams per pot. Nitrogen v/as fur- 
 nished as urea and sulfate as calcium sulfate, both 
 being in dilute solution and applied at the rate of .3 
 of a gram per pot every three weeks. Bacteria, for 
 the conversion of the sulfur into a for available for 
 plant nutrition, were added to the pots with the cal- 
 cium sulfate. This bacterial soil was obtained from 
 the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at New 
 Brunswick, New Jersey, 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 The first set of plants v/ere started with the 
 organic peat on April 14, 1922 with applications of 
 fertilizer as follows: 
 
 No. Of pot. 
 
 Treatment 
 
 Plant . 
 
 1,2 
 
 Limestone 
 
 
 Buckv/heat, 
 
 3,4 
 
 " , shale 
 
 •• 
 
 5 
 
 tl 
 
 1 
 
 ” , bacteria 
 
 M 
 
 
 II 
 
 
 Rape 
 
 3,9 
 
 tl 
 
 9 
 
 II 
 
 II 
 
 10,11 
 
 It 
 
 9 
 
 M tl 
 
 9 
 
 II 
 
 12, 
 
 II 
 
 » 
 
 " , "lAgCl^ 
 
 II 
 
 The soil is exceedingly rich, and as shown by 
 

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9 
 
 the photographs, produces luxuriant e:rowths even when 
 untreated. It is ordinarily assumed that all peat soils 
 are deficient in potassium and the pots receiving treatment 
 will best show the effect by reference to the ultimate 
 weierht of the crop. The photofcranhs 1 to IS herewith do 
 not differentiate sharnly between the several treatments, 
 but the final weiprhts attained are more characteristic. 
 

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 The follov/iner table which was obtained June 28, 
 
 1922, thru the courtesy of Mr. J. J* Anderson of the Agronomy 
 Department, srives the green weight of the mature plants 
 resulting from the different treatments for this first series. 
 
 Series I 
 
 Qreen Weight of Matured Plants in Or.?anic Peat Soil 
 
 ITo. of Pot 
 
 Treatment 
 
 Plant 
 
 Weip'ht , 0rams 
 
 1, 2 
 
 Lime stone 
 
 Buckv/heat 
 
 200 and 250 
 
 3. 4 
 
 Limestone and Shale 
 
 TT 
 
 220 and 230 
 
 5 
 
 Limestone, Shale and 
 Bacteria 
 
 
 270 
 
 6, 7 
 
 Limestone 
 
 Pape 
 
 400 and 470 
 
 8, 9 
 
 Limestone and Shale 
 
 Tt 
 
 450 and 470 
 
 10, 11 
 
 Limestone, Shale and 
 Bacteria 
 
 
 550 and 555 
 
 12 
 
 L_ 
 
 [lim.estone. Shale and 
 MarOlg 
 
 
 560 
 
11 
 
 The eecond series of plant cultures was not 
 started until May 1, 1922, for the reasons mentioned before 
 of late receipt of the soil. The treatments are as 
 follows : 
 
 Series II 
 
 Sandy Peat from Momence 
 
 1 
 
 No. of Pot 
 
 Treatment 
 
 PI ant 
 
 1 - 2 
 
 Limestone 
 
 Buchwheat 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 1 i 
 
 CQ 
 
 Limestone, shale 
 
 Buc^^wheat 
 
 5-6 
 
 Limestone, urea 
 
 Buckwheat 
 
 Y - 8 
 
 Limestone, shale, urea 
 
 Buckwheat 
 
 9 -10 
 
 Limestone, shale, urea 
 bacteria, Oa SO 4 
 
 Buckwheat 
 
 11 - 12 
 
 Limestone 
 
 Rape 
 
 13- 14 
 
 Limestone, Shale 
 
 Rape 
 
 15- 16 
 
 Limestone, shale, urea 
 
 Rape i 
 
 These plants have not at this date (May 24) had 
 time to develop sufficiently to furnish any information with 
 reference to yields. This soil is oris:inally very poor and 
 in field experience produces practically nothins: in its 
 normal state. 
 
 Photographic illustrations of the stac^es are driven 
 in lieu of harvesting wei-'^hts which woull only be available 
 later in the season. 
 
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13 
 
 An evidence of differentiation may be seen in these 
 pots even at the early stap:e of ??rowth covered by these photo- 
 srraphs. The pots Nos. 7 and 8 are evidently the most 
 advanced in the buclOTheat division and these plants received 
 the shale-urea treatment in addition to the limestone. Here 
 the advantapre is clearly due to the shale-urea combination. 
 
 In the rape series an evident advantage is seen in 
 pots Nos. 15 and 16 where the same combination of shale and 
 urea is used with limestone. Since pots 11 and 12 have lime- 
 stone alone, it is evident that this soil is deficient in 
 both potash and nitroyen. It is unfortumate that this series 
 did not have a bacteria pot and that all were not carried to 
 maturity and weighed as in Series I. 
 
 It is evident that peat soils vary in their require- 
 ment. In the rich orpranic peat soil. Series I, the harvest 
 
 weiprhts indicate an advantapre from the use of the potash shale, 
 but raarlcedly better with the shale and bacteria combined. 
 
 The analysis of the ororanic peat soil, papre 6, shows an 
 abundance of nitropren, hence no urea treatment was used. In 
 pot No. 12 where the best weip*ht is obtained with shale and 
 Ms^rOlg the su<?o:estion is obvious that the bacteria as in pots 
 Nos. 10 and 11, promote the availability of the mavnesium 
 which is present (1.7 % MptO ) in the shale. 
 
 In the sandy peat there is an evident deficiency in 
 nitrop-en as well as in potash. Unfortunately the mavnesium 
 factor was not determined by a pot experiment and no 
 bacterial inoculations were tried. 
 
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 The work is su,?frestive of further experiments with 
 other baoterial cultures such as those which are active oxi- 
 dizers of sulfur to determine the effect of supplyinfy especially 
 sulfates and magnesia as well as potash and nitrogen. 
 
1 
 
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