15^0 Repoet of Farmers' Institutes 



* Cyaiiamide is ma Jo from lime, nitrogen and carbon ; it also 

 involves the use of electric power, and is made in this country. 

 There is a plant at Niagara Falls. The material is being used in 

 a very large number, if not the majority, of the fertilizers now on 

 the market. It decomposes in the soil readily and is nearly as 

 available as ammonia. 



It is wise to use nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia and 

 organic nitrogen in combination where nitrogen is needed for the 

 whole season. 



It is extremely €ostly for the average farmer to use dried blood 

 and fish except under conditions where other forms of organic 

 nitrogen are not available. The nitrogen in blood and fish will 

 cost about 25 cents per pomid, whereas he can get the nitrogen 

 in nitrate and ammonium sulphate for from 15 to 17 cents per 

 pound. 



Aside from the chemicals, tankage as a source of nitrogen is as 

 cheap as anything that can be purchased — a good grade runs 

 3, 4: or 5 per cent, of nitrogen to 10, 12 or 18 per cent, of phos- 

 phoric acid. There are usually three grades and the composition 

 depends upon the relative amount of bone and meat. Fineness 

 and dryness are essential. 



It has been found that plants can use nitrogen in forms other 

 than nitrates, but it is universally held that the nitrogen that the 

 plant actually takes into the roots is largely in the form of a 

 nitrate. 



PHOSPHORIC ACID 



* The use of nitric acid instead of sulphurio acid in dissolving 

 the rock should make it more valuable. When the rock is treated 

 with nitric acid, calcium nitrate is the result. This is even more 

 valuable than nitrate of soda, so we have a mixture which con- 

 tains a maximum of plant food material. 



It has been generally believed that it w^as wise to mix the rock 

 phosphate with the manure. Some w^ork in Wisconsin indicates 

 that it does take part in the bacterial action and is rendered 

 solul)le, but it also shows that it is taken into the bacterial bodies 

 and is converted into insoluble form again and needs to undergo 

 decomposition before the phosphoric acid is again available. 



* Note. — This matter for bonolit of workers but not necessary to use unless the 

 point is brought up. 



