SOILS — FERTILIZERS. 321 



indigestible parts of the animal food. A rapid mineralization is in both cases 

 prevented. Lilvewise the plant food in the straw is only very gradually broken 

 down and made available. In direct contrast to these urlue is relatively poor 

 in bacteria and humns-formiug matter but rich in active plant food. A mixture 

 of solid and liquid manure often has a better fertilizing effect the first year 

 than the mixture without urine, but the second j-ear shows great losses due to 

 storage of the manure in the soil and imperfect utilization of the plant food 

 <()ntent of the urine. Urine used in separate form gives as good results as 

 ammonium suli)hato or sodium nitrate. The nitrogen losses from manure during 

 storage are due in part to volatilization of ammonia and in part to the setting 

 free of elementary nitrogen. The losses duo to deuitrification are unimitortaut, 

 as the deticiency in nitrates usually make denitrification either impossible or 

 very limited. A determination of the carbon content in manure is of special 

 importance since the quantity and kind of carbon combinations largely deter- 

 mine the extent of the activity of the plant food added in manure. Nitrate- 

 forming l)iictoria can be fmnid in every manure, but not in noteworthy numbers. 



The utilization of peat in Italy. V. Rossi {Bol. Quind. .S'oe. Agr. Jtal., 19 

 (liH-i), No. 10, pp. 356-361). — This article discusses particularly the preparation 

 of ammonium sulphate from peat. 



The manufacture of nitrates by direct electrolysis of peat, G. Daby (Elect. 

 Rev., 13 (11113). Xo. 1S82. pp. 1020, 1021, figs. 2; Jour. Amcr. Peat Soc.. 7 (IDlJf), 

 No. 1, pp. 20-26. figs. 2; Engrais, 29 (1914), No. 12, pp. 329-333).— A process of 

 electrolytically extracting nitric acid frnni nitrifying jioat is described. 



The present state of the cyanamid industry, K. J. Pbankk (Jour. /«(/«,<?. and 

 Engin. Cheni.. 6 (191^), No. 5, pp. Jfl5-419). — It is estimatcnl that the world's 

 production of calcium cyanamid will reach 275.000 tons in 1U14. The works at 

 Niagara Falls, Canada, are being increasetl to a capacity of 04.000 tons. Recent 

 improvements in the manufacture of the product are described and its use as a 

 fertilizer is discussed. 



The production of phosphates, Maizi£:res (Engrais. 28 (1913), Nos. .'f6, pp. 

 1274-1276; 47, pp. 1302-1304; 48, pp. 1330, 1331; 50, pp. 1386-1388, fig. 1; 52, 

 pp. 1443, 1443)- — This article deals particularly with the production of phos- 

 phates in Algeria and Tunis. 



The action of guano components on carbonates in phosphoriferous rock on 

 Nauru Island, C. Elschner (Amer. Pert.. 40 (1914), No. 10, pp. 25-27, fig. 1). — 

 The probable formation of these phosphate deposits by the infiltration of the 

 dolomitic reefs with solutions of guano deposits is discussed and analyses of the 

 phosjihates are given. 



Potash salts : Summary for 1913, W. C. Phalen ( U. S. GeoL Survey, 

 Mineral Resources of the United Statea, 1913, pt. 2, pp. 85-107). — ^^V brief 

 account is given of progress in investigations by the Geological Survey and the 

 Bureau of Soils with reference to possible commercial sources of potash in the 

 United States. 



It is stated that the activities of the Survey in this direction were more 

 restricted in 1913 than in previous years. Field drilling was carried on to a 

 limited extent and in only two areas, the Columbus Marsh and Black Rock 

 Desert, Nevada. The report deals with the development of saline potash 

 deposits in California (Searles Lake). Oklahoma, and Texas; alunite and kelp 

 as sources of iwtash salts and as fertilizers; the preparation of potash salts 

 from silicate rocks; and statistics of imports and consumption of potash salts 

 and other fertilizing materials in the United States. 



A bibliography of recent papers on the subject is given. 



The production of feldspar in 1913, F. J. Katz (U. S. Geol. Survey, Mineral 

 Resources of the United States, 1913, pt. 2, pp. 145-151). — ^This bulletin dis- 



