520 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



sium cblorid, calcium sulphate and nitrate, magnesium chlorid, sulphate, and 

 nitrate, sodium iodate, sodium nitrosulphate (darapskite), calcium iodate 

 (lautarite), and calcium iodochromate (dietzeite). The soils of the region are 

 stated to be highly radioactive. 



New methods in the ammonia industry, V. Holbling {Osterr. Chem. Ztg., 

 15 (1912), No. 9, pp. 114-llS, figs. 5; Engrais, 27 (1912), No. U, pp. 1133-i 

 1137). — Recently proposed methods of manufacturing ammonia are briefly 

 described. 



[Nitrogenous fertilizers derived from, the air] (9. Cong. Internat. Agr. 

 Madrid, 1911, pp. 762-8JiJf). — The fertilizer section of the Ninth International 

 Congress of Agriculture at Madrid was devoted exclusively to the consideration 

 of papers on nitrogenous fertilizers obtained from the air as follows : Study and 

 Application of New Fertilizers Prepared from the Nitrogen of the Air, by E. 

 Noriega Abascal; Nitrogenous Fertilizers and Calcium Cyanamid, by L. Rebello 

 da Silva ; Study of the New Fertilizers Prepared from the Nitrogen of the Air, 

 by C. Schreiber ; Importance of Synthetic Nitrogenous Fertilizers in Agriculture, 

 by M. Weitz; Nitrogenous Fertilizers Derived from the Air, by J. tJbeda 

 Correal; and Cyanamid, by C. Pluvinage. 



These papers set forth quite fully the present status of the manufacture and use 

 of nitrogenous fertilizers derived from the air from the agricultural standpoint. 



The conclusions of the congress were generally favorable to the use of these 

 fertilizers under conditions and precautions which are carefully defined. 



The tcxic action of organic compounds as modified by fertilizer salts, O. 

 ScHREiNER and J. J. Skinner (Bot. Gaz., 5} {1912), No. 1, pp. 31-^8, fig>^. 5; 

 Science, n. ser., 33 (1911), No. SU, V- SIfO; Chem. Abs., 6 (1912), No. 9, p. 

 1196). — "The action of fertilizer salts in restraining the harmful influence of 

 certain organic compounds was studied, as well as the effect of the compounds 

 on absorption. The culture solutions comprised all possible ratios of the three 

 principal fertilizer elements, phosphate, nitrate, and potassium, varying in 10 

 per cent stages. . . . 



" The cumarin depressed potash and nitrate removal from nutrient solution 

 more than phosphate; the quinone, on the other hand, depressed phosphate and 

 nitrate more than potash; the effect of vanillin was not determined in this 

 regard. It is interesting to mention that dihydroxystearic acid, which, as 

 previoaisly reported, appears to act much as vanillin did, depressed phosphate 

 and potash more than nitrate. In this respect again the influence of the 

 A-arious harmful substances was different. 



" The conclusion is drawn that different toxic substances produce definite 

 effects in their action on plants and that the effects are modified differently by 

 the different fertilizer salts." 



See also a previous note (E. S. R., 26. p. 224). 



The effect of the " wet process " on the availability of low-grade nitrog- 

 enous materials, B. L. Hartwell and F. R. Pember (Jour. Indus, and Engin. 

 Chem., Jf (1912), No. 6, pp. 4'fi--i'f3). — An abstract of this paper has been noted 

 (E. S. R., 26, p. 725). 



Relation of active potash to pot experiments, G. S. Fraps (Jour. Indus, and 

 Engin. Chem., .'/ (1912), No. 7, pp. 52.5, 526). — This is a summai'y of experiments 

 reported in full in Bulletin 145 of the Texas Station (E. S. R., 27, p. 323). 



Mica as a source of potash for plants, E. Blanck (Jour. Landic, 60 (1912), 

 No. 2, pp. 97-110; ah^. in Jour. Chan. Soc. [London], 102 (1912), No. 597, II, p. 

 677; ZtseJir. Angcw. Chem., 25 (1912), No. 1,0, p. 2085).— Vot experiments in 

 which muscovite and biotite were used as sources of potash supply to oats are 

 leported, the results showing that the potash of muscovite was much less readily 

 available than that of biotite, but was assimilated by the plant much more 



