iVay. 2, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 873 



Electric Furnaces at Odda, for producing calcium cyanamide. 



Illustration from Nature. 



The energy required in the nitrogen-fixation process in the cyanamide form 

 is stated to be only one-fifth that necessary for the Birkeland-Eyde nitrates. 

 The industry was first started at Piano d'Orta in Central Italy, with an 

 annual output of 4,000 tons, which has, however, recently been increased to 

 10,000 tons. Other factories are being established in' Italy and Austria. 

 At Almissa, in the latter country, an installation giving .50,000 horse-power 

 is in course of erection, with an annual capacity for -an output of about 

 18,7-50 tons. At Notre Dame de Briancon, in France, there are works w^ith 

 an annual production of 4,000 tons ; and at Westeregeln and Bruhl, on the 

 German Rhine, 10,000 tons are produced. At Bruhl steam power is used on 

 account of the cheapness of coal. At the Niagara Falls the American 

 Cyanamide Company are building a factory with a capacity for 6,000 tons, 

 to be later on enlarged for an output of 40,000 tons; The Cyanamide Works 

 at Odda, in Norway, are the enterprise of a British company, which treats 

 about the same quantity of nitrogen as the Birkeland-Eyde nitrate works at 

 Notodden. At the close of this year they expect to be treating at the rate 

 of 45,000 tons of nitrogen, and to still further increase it next year. 



In sandy soils, poor in lime, nitrolim is said to be unsuitable : lime has to^ 

 be added. With other soils it is generally satisfactory. 



3. Depletion of Chilian Saltpetre fields. 



Less than sixty years ago the output of Chilian saltpetre was only 

 25,000 tons per annum ; the production during 1906 was 1,500,000 tons, and 

 during 1907 the quantity exported was 1,740,000 tons. Various authorities 

 estimate that even at the present rate of consumption the supply will lun 

 out in from sixteen to forty-eight years. In view therefore of the depletion 

 of the existing sources while there is an ever-increasing demand, the necessity 

 for the establishment of the new industries is sufficiently apparent. 



