164 



For the purpose of concentrating and fixing the valuable constituent, ammonia, 

 and in order to get rid of the poisonous products, it is submitted to distillation, the 

 ammonia being collected in sulphuric acid. In this way ammonium sulphate is 

 formed, a salt largely used in artificial fertilizers. 



The direct application of the ammoniacal liquor to the soil can only be used with 

 safety after careful experiment and previous dilution. It is impossible to give 

 definite instruction with regard to the extent of the dilution that should be practised, 

 owing to the fact that the liquor varies in strength and amount of impurities in 

 different samjjles. Some persons have found injurious effects from it when diluted 

 to twelve times its volume, while others have used it with safety and profit upon 

 the addition of three times its bulk of water only. 



When not distilled, this gas liquor is usually allowed to run to waste. Contain- 

 ing as a rule somewhat under 1 per cent of ammonia, it scarcely pays to transport it 

 any great distance. The question, however, has arisen, whether the liquor could 

 not be used with advantage by the agriculturists in the neighbourhood of its pro- 

 duction. Large watering carts have been suggested for distributing it on the land, 

 and also the plan of adding sufficient sulphuric acid to the liquor to fix the volatile 

 ammonia — present chiefly as the volatile carbonate — before application. It may be 

 possible by suitable treatment to produce a valuable fertilizer without the expense 

 of distillation. The details and cost, however, have yet to be worked out to arrive 

 at an economical process. It may be found that upon neutralizing of the liquor 

 with sulphuric acid and allowing it to stand for three or four days the volatile 

 poisonous compounds are largely evolved, the tarry matter deposited and the 

 ammonia retained. If such a simple method worked satisfactorily, the resulting 

 liquor might be diluted in the fields to the proper degree, and at once applied to the 

 soil. Again, ground gypsum added to the crude liquor would have the effect of 

 retaining the ammonia in the liquid, the tarry matter being deposited with the car- 

 bonate of lime formed. 



At the request of the Hon. J. B. Snowball, Chatham, N.B., a sample of ammoni- 

 acal liquor has been examined. The analysis showed that 14 gallons contained 1 lb. 

 ammonia (NHg). Every gallon of this liquor would produce 4 ozs. of ammonium 

 suljjhate. It contained therefore a little less than 1 per cent of ammonia. JSTitrogen 

 in artificial fertilizer costs about 17 cents per pound. This liquor therefore contains 

 one cent's worth of nitrogen per gallon. If an opportunity presents itself, it is 

 proposed to make some experiments with the material during the coming year at 

 the Farm laboratories. 



Sulphate of ammonia, while not a complete manure for plants, is an exceedingly 

 valuable one for supplying nitrogen. It acts rapidly in the soil on account of its 

 extreme solubility. In conjunction with other elements of plant food it ubually gives 

 mo6t gratifying rebulUi — especially upon worn-out soils. 



