124 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Lime nitrogen as a commercial substitute for nitrate of soda, A. Frank 

 (Illus. Landw. Ztg., 21 (1907), No. J,3, pp. 388-391).— In this paper, which was 

 read before the International Congress of Agriculture at Vienna, the author 

 discusses the commercial possibilities of lime nitrogen in an optimistic manner. 



On lime nitrogen, I, G. Bredig et ai,. (Ztschr. Elektrochem., 13 (1907), No. 

 9, pp. 69-75; ahs. in CJiem. Abs., 1 (1907), No. 10, p. 122Jf).— The authors main- 

 tain that neither the theory of a high temperature of reaction nor that of finely 

 divided carbid explains the absorption of nitrogen by calcium carbid in presence 

 of calcium chlorid and other substances. They believe that calcium chlorid 

 acts as a catalyzer. 



Experiments were made at 800° and 700°, the calcium carbid being heated 

 electrically in a nitrogen atmosphere. The temperature was read by means of a 

 thermo-couple and kept constant either by shutting ofC the supply of nitrogen 

 or by diminishing the heating current. At 800° a mixture of calcium carbid 

 with 10 per cent of calcium chlorid absorbed in 2 hours 22 per cent of nitrogen, 

 and calcium carbid alone only .3.1 per cent. Other substances, such as lithium 

 chlorid and sodium chlorid, act also as catalyzers, but to a smaller extent ; lime, 

 magnesia, calcium fluorid. and sea sand have little or no action. At 700° the 

 vapidity of the reaction decreases, but much more in case of calcium chlorid 

 than in that of lithium chlorid or sodinm chlorid. 



On atmospheric nitrogen fertilizers, H. Briem (Ccntbl. Zuckerindus., 15 

 (1907), No. 30, pp. 816-818). — Progress in the manufacture of lime nitrogen and 

 lime niter and in tests of the fertilizing value of these materials is briefly 

 reviewed with a short bibliography of the more important investigations relating 

 to the siibject. 



Nitric acid from the air (Ztschr. Elcctrorhcm., 13 (1907), Nos. 9, pp. 75-77, 

 fitjs. 2; 18, pp. 190-198, figs. 24; 19, pp. 210-221, figft. 28; 20, pp. 225-23',, figs. 36; 

 21, pp. 237-255, figs. 61; 22, pp. 280-286, figs. 11).— The various technical proc- 

 esses and apparatus which have been devised for the artificial production of 

 nitric acid from the air are quite fully described in this article. 



On the electro-synthetic production of certain nitrogenous compounds of 

 agricultural value, Bruttini (Bol. Quind. Soc. Agr. Ital., 12 (1907), No. 7, pp. 

 245-2.'f8). — A brief review of recent progress in the manufacture of such prod- 

 ucts. 



Norwegian lime niter, I. Bjerknes (Tidsskr. Norske Laiidbr., 13 (1906), No. 

 9, pp. 385-396).— The article contains an illustrated description of the Notodden 

 lime-niter factory (Birkeland-Eyde process). — f. w. wool. 



Fertilizer experiments with lime nitrogen and Norwegian lime niter, II. 

 VON Feilitzen (Dciit. handle. Pressc, 3-', (1907), Nos. 28, pp. 229, 230; 29, p. 

 2'i3). — In pot experiments with oats, barley, spring wheat, and potatoes on sand 

 and loam soils lime nitrogen was very nearly equal to ammonium sulphate. 

 AVith oats, barley, spring wheat, on moor soil of better (luality the action of the 

 lime nitrogen was also good, but very poor and much inferior to other fertilizers 

 on oats and potatoes on moor soils which were not well decomposed. The lime 

 niter was fully equal in effect to nitrate of soda in experiments with oats on 

 sand and moor soils. In fact the lime combination v.ith nitrate seemed some- 

 what better for oats than the sodium compound. The investigations were in 

 continuation of earlier work (E. S. R., 17, p. 17 ; 18, p. 19). 



Further comparative experiments with lime nitrogen and lime niter on 

 barley and oats, K. Otto (Drtit. Laridir. I'rcxsc, 3', (1907), No. 36. pp. 295, 

 296). — In plat experiments on different kinds of soil the results with lime nitro- 

 gen were somewhat inferior to those with nitrate of soda. 



On bat guano from Marianne Islands, S. Kanamori (Bui. Col. Agr.. Tokyo 

 Imp. Univ., 7 (1907), No. 3, pp. Jt61-Jf6^). — Pot experiments with barley to test 



