SOILS FERTILIZERS. 431 



of extracting the nitrate, cost of production, exports, and uses. Tlie exports 

 for 1908 exceeded 2.000,000 tons, and in June of that year there was a reserve 

 stoclv of 220,000.000 tons. It is estimated that there is enough nitrate in the 

 deposits to last at least 100 years. 



[A new atmospheric nitrogen fertilizer] (Clicni. Trade Jour., J/o {1909), 

 No. 1169, pp. So-'i, 36-'t; Marie Lane Erprcfifi, 102 (1909), No. 1,074, P- 461).— 

 Serpek's process for manufacturing aluminum nitrid and utilizing it in the 

 production of ammonia is briefly noted. 



New fertilizer materials, F. S. S. Johnson (Daily Cons, and Trade Rpts. 

 [U. S.\, 1910, No. M76, p. /'/; Mo. Cons, and Trade Rpts. [U. S.], 1910, No. 

 353, p. 83). — Brief notes are given upon the utilization of a lime by-product 

 of sugar factories and (ni the first shipment of calcium cyanamid from the 

 -.vorks at Niagara Falls. 



Artificial nitrates [in Norway] (Chrm. Trade Jour., .',6 (1910), No. 1180, 

 p. 9; Daily Cons, and Trade Rpts. [U. *S'.l, 1910, No. 3689, pp. 13, J/,).— This is 

 a brief note on the present status of the Norwegian nitrate industry, including 

 a list of companies engaged in the manufacture of this material. 



Norwegian nitrate, K. Ulrich {Dent. Zuckerindus., 3', (1909), No. 51, Bci- 

 lagc 1. pp. 976, 977). — Comparative tests of Norwegian nitrate (basic calcium 

 nitrate) and nitrate of soda on sugar beets gave results very favorable to the 

 former. A larger yield of sugar beets with equally high percentage of sugar 

 and better crystallization was obtained with the Norwegian nitrate. 



The new nitrogenous fertilizers in comparison with the old, G. Jaco- 

 METTi (Ann. R. Accad. Ayr. Torino, 51 (1908), pp. 179-208, fig. 1). — Cooperative 

 experiments in the province of Turin are reported, comparing the fertilizing 

 value of sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda with that of calcium cyana-* 

 mid and calcium nitrate. The crops were wheat (1 spring and 3 winter vari- 

 eties), corn (S varieties), permanent meadow (1 dry, 1 semiirrigated, and 2 

 irrigated), broom corn, mint, potatoes, and spinach. Calcium nitrate was 

 used only in the case of 1 irrigated meadow and of mint. 



The conclusions drawn are: (1) Both calcium cyanamid and calcium niti'ate 

 have a fertilizing value about equal to that of sulphate of ammonia and nitrate 

 of soda. (2) Contrary to the results in experiments reported from other parts 

 of Italy, in the province of Turin calcium cyanamid is slow in action, and there- 

 fore should be applied as early as possible, at the time of plowing in the case of 

 cultivated crops, and in the winter on meadows. (3) No appreciable damage 

 to seed, tubers, or plants was found to i-esult from the use of calcium cyanamid 

 in the following amounts, calculated as pounds per acre: 160 to ISO for wheat, 

 160 for corn, 135 to 21.5 for potatoes, and 180 for broom corn. (4) Calcium 

 cyanamid in granular form is more convenient to handle than nitrate of soda. 



On the use of Laming's mixture, or crude ammonia, for fertilizing or as 

 an antiseptic, D. Cavazza (Ann. Uffic. Prov. Ayr. Boloyna, 15 (1908), pp. 159- 

 172). — The analysis given of this material shows total moisture (air-dried sub- 

 stance) 21.38, ammoniacal nitrogen (in undried material) 0.48, sulphocyanid 

 (in undried material) 0.01.52, total sulphur (in dried material) 49.02, and ferri- 

 ferrocyanid (in dried material) 9.55 per cent. 



Experiments were made with hemp to determine (1) the effect of crude 

 ammonia on growth; (2) whether the nitrogen of crude ammonia is assimilable, 

 wholly or in part; (3) what influence the interval between the sowing and the 

 fertilization has on the result. 



The crude ammonia was mixed with an equal amount of gypsum and in each 

 experiment there was a control plat with gypsum alone, as well as a plat 

 without fertilizer. The first experiment was on a clayey soil, well supplied 

 with lime; the use of crude amuiouia showed a negative result as compared 



