SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 217 



10). — Comparisons of ammonium siili)liute, sodium nitrate, and commercial cal- 

 cium cyanamid and calcium nitrate on oats, mangel-wurzels, and potatoes are 

 reported, the results indicating that equal amounts of nitrogen supplied by 

 these four nitrogenous fertilizers are equally effective for crop production. The 

 calcium cyanamid is subject to the objections that it is very light, dusty, and 

 troublesome to apply, and may cause injury to young and tender parts of plants. 

 The calcium nitrate must be handled carefully on account of its moisture- 

 absorbing property or it will become sticky and difficult to apply. 



The utilization of the nitrogen of the air, C. Feenzel (In Fortschritte der 

 Natu7'wissenschafilichcn Forschnng. Berlin and Yienna, 1011, vol. 2, pp. I'JS- 

 272, fi(/s. 17). — Investigations and the development of industrial processes re- 

 lating to the artificial fixation of the nitrogen of the air are fully reviewed, with 

 bibliographies of the more important literature bearing upon different phases 

 of the subject. 



The preparation of nitric acid from the air by the Pauling process, J. Van- 

 DKKroL (Jlouille Blanche, 10 {1911), p. 5; abs. i7i Metallurg. and Chem. Engin., 

 !) {1911), No. .'/, pp. 196-198, figs. /, ; Ztschr. Elektrochem., 17 {1911), No. 11, 

 pp. JiSl-JfSJf, figs. If). — The installation and operation of this process at La Roche 

 de liame, France, are described. Nine 600-kilowatt furnaces are now in oper- 

 ation, but it is stated that the furnaces will be enlarged to 1,000-kilowatt 

 capacity. 



Use of cyanamid in France, D. B. Mason {Daily Cons, and Trade Rpts. 

 [U. S.], IJf {1911), No. 90, pp. 26-i-266) .—This report refers to the steadily 

 increasing use of calcium cyanamid in France and to tests of the material as 

 a fertilizer for oats, wheat, corn, and potatoes. It is stated that the cyanamid 

 used in France in 1909 and 1910 cost from $1.84 to .$1.93 r)er hundred pounds, 

 containing 15 per cent of nitrogen, but that the same material sold for a much 

 lower price in Norway on account of the cheap water power available for its 

 production in that country. 



Results of fertilizer experiments with potassium silicate and like sub- 

 stances during 1910, Wein {Dcut. Landw. Prcsse, 38 {1911), No. 25, pp. 291, 

 292). — Plat experiments with different crops and at various places are reported, 

 the conclusion being drawn from the results that the fertilizers of this charac- 

 ter tested were vei'y effective and gave good returns. 



Investigations on the action of ground phonolite, W. Krugeb et al. {Mitt. 

 Dcut. Landir. GcsclL, 26 {1911), Nos. 10, pp. 111-115; 11, pp. 125-128; 12, pp. 

 1 '(6-148; Mitt. Hcrzogl. Anhalt. Vers. Stat., 1911, No. 48, pp. 19, pis. 2).— As a 

 result of a series of pot and field experiments with cereals, grass, potatoes, and 

 beets the authors reached the general conclusion that ground phonolite is inef- 

 fective and expensive as compared with potash salts. 



Fifty years of the German potash industry, P. Krische {Chem. Indus. 

 [Berlin], 34 {1911), No. 7, pp. 17 3-182) .—This is a review of the history and 

 present status of this industry, noting especially the investigators who have 

 contributed to the improvement of the industry and the firms now engaged in it. 



The fertilizing value of certain phosphatic materials, A. Gregoire and 

 J. Hendrick {Ann. Qemhloax, 21 {1911), No. 4, pp. 166-183).— Pot tests of two 

 proprietary so-called precipitated mineral phosphates are reported, showing that 

 these materials were much less effective as fertilizers than pure bicalcium phos- 

 phate. Moreover, they contained substances which render them unfit for use in 

 feeding animals. 



The production of phosphate rock in 1909, F. B. Van Horn {U. S. Geol. 

 Survey, Advance Chapter from Mineral Resources of the United States, Calen- 

 dar Year 1909, pp. 7; abs. in Manfrs. Ree., 59 {1911), No. 9, p. 5//).— It is stated 

 that the total production of phosphate rock in the United States in 1909 was 



