CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 261 



is not caused by air filtered through cotton; and we now ask, if the air, 

 rendered adynamic by the process of Him, will not possess still more 

 passivity ? 



It is an argument more in favor of this theory, now held by the advocates 

 of spontaneous generation, to know that it is not by germs of infusoria 

 suspended in the air that fermentaion or putrefaction is carried on. These 

 experiments appear to us to touch questions of the greatest importance in 

 the sciences of observation, as well as others relating to the most interesting 

 considerations in cosmogony. Silliman's Journal, November, 18GO. 



ON THE ASSIMILATION OF ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN BY PLANTS. 



It is well known that a controversy has been going on for some time 

 between MM. Boussingault and Ville, of France, respecting the assimilation 

 of atmospheric nitrogen by plants, the results of the experiments of the 

 latter chemist indicating that plants can assimilate nitrogen, and those of the 

 former that no such acLion takes place. At the last meeting of the American 

 Association, Professor Pugh stated that he had, under the auspices of Mr. 

 Lawes, the well-known English agriculturist, and at an expense of six thou- 

 sand dollars, devoted three years to the investigation of this question ; and 

 the conclusion arrived at, without going into detail, was, that no assimilation 

 of gaseous nitrogen takes place: a result coinciding with that arrived at by 

 Boussingault. The experiments had been conducted with the chief cereals, 

 wheat, barley, oats, peas, beans, buckwheat, clover, and tobacco. In re- 

 gard to all but the leguminous plants, there was no doubt as to the above 

 result. With the latter, the experiments were less decided, in conse- 

 quence of their not having given results so satisfactory as in the case of 

 the others. 



ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE NITROGEN OF THE ATMOSPHERE FOR 

 THE PRODUCTION OF AMMONIA, FOR FERTILIZING PURPOSES. 



Since the determination of the value of ammonia, ammoniacal salts, and 

 nitrogenous compounds generally, as fertilizers, the artificial production 

 of ammonia has been regarded as a problem of the highest interest to 

 agriculture. But to arrive at this result it is necessary to obtain the 

 nitrogen elsewhere than in organic nitrogenous matters, which may, for 

 the most part, be employed directly as manures, and of which the limited 

 quantities and elevated price permit in any event only restricted and costly 

 manufacture. > 



Atmospheric air is an inexhaustible and gratuitous source of nitrogen. 

 However, this element presents so great an indifference in its chemical reac- 

 tions, that, notwithstanding the numerous attempts which have been made, 

 chemists have not heretofore succeeded in combining it with hydrogen, so as 

 to produce ammonia artificially. This result, so long desired, is reported to 

 have been obtained during the past year by two French chemists, MM. 

 Marguen-itte and de Sourdeville, who employ as their agent in the process, 

 the earthy base, baryta, converting it, by the aid of atmospheric nitrogen, 

 into cyanide of barium, and producing from this last ammonia by the agency 

 of vapor of water. The following is a brief resume of the process employed : 

 The baryta is prepared in the first instance by subjecting to a strong heat, in 

 an earthen retort, a mixture of carbonate of baryta (the common ore of 



