1124 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECORD. 



nitrate as in the presence of ammonium sulpliate. When bone dust was used in 

 combination with sodium nitrate there was little difference in yield whether the 

 l)otasli was applied in the form of sulphate, of carbonate,' or of wood ashes. 

 I'otassium carbonate apparently rendered the phosphate of bone in part more 

 available by conversion into potassium phosphate. 



On the action and residual effects of Thomas-ammomum phosphate, Bach- 

 MANN {FiiJiliiiffs LuiKlic. Ztff., r,U (jmi), No. 2'i. i>i>. 875, ,S76').— In a previous 

 article (E. S. R., IS, p. 72.1) the author reported experiments showing the first 

 year's effect on rye, oats, and meadow land of this material, which is a mixture 

 of Thomas slag, ammonium sulphate, and sugar-factory lime waste containing 

 in the sample experimented with 7.8 per cent of citrate-soluble phosphoric acid 

 and 29.7 per cent of lime. In this article he gives the results of observations 

 on the after-effect on the second year's crop of oats, as well as of further tests 

 of the first year's effect of the material. Separate applications of Thomas slag, 

 ammonium sulphate, and lime refuse, as well as of Thomas slag and anunonium 

 sulphate, gave better results the first and second years than the Thomas- 

 ammonium phosphate. It was further noted that there was a decided after- 

 effect in case of ammonium sulphate alone. 



Nitrate production of South America, A. A. Winslow (Daily Consular and 

 Trade Rpts. [U. S.I, 1908, Xo. 3069, p. 15). —It is stated that "from 1830 until 

 1907 the nitrate fields of Peru and Chile have produced 36,443,327 tons of 

 nitrate, valued at $1,112,728,765 United States gold. 



"About two-fifths of this was produced during the last ten years. There has 

 been much said about the exhaustion of the nitrate mines or beds, but from the 

 best information obtainable they are good for two hundred or three hundred 

 years, even at double the production, which is about 2,000.000 tons per year. 

 Fully one-half the production has been net profit, but a new process has been 

 invented that will do for the nitrate business what the cyanid process did for 

 the gold production. Heretofore from 9 to 10 per cent has been left in the 

 waste, but with the new process it is claimed that there will not be a loss of 2 

 per cent and at a less cost of production than by the old method. Even the 

 waste or tailings can be worketl with a great profit." 



On the synthesis of ammonia from its elements, L. Brunel and P. Woog 

 {Coinpt. Rend. Acad. Hci. [raris], 1J,5 (1901), No. 22, pp. 922-92',; ahs. in Rev. 

 8ci. [Prtris'], 5. scr.,8 (1907), No. 23, p. 732). — Small quantities of ammonia were 

 produced by the catalytic action of oxid of nickel heated to 180 to 200° C in a 

 mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen. Continuous regeneration of the oxid of 

 nickel and regular formation of ammonia was secured by suspending the oxid 

 in and forcing a current of air and hydrogen through petroleum, boiling at 200 

 to 240° C. in a distilling apparatus, the vaporization of the petroleum prevent- 

 ing the temperature from rising, as a result of reduction of nickel sesquioxid to 

 protoxid, to a point which would prevent the formation of ammonia. 



Improvements in the production of ammonia (Cticni. Trade Jour., J/1 (1907), 

 No. 1075, p. 58^). — A description is given of H. C. Woltereck's process for the 

 preparation of ammonia by passing air and steam over or through peat at a 

 carefully regulated temperature. 



New nitrogenous fertilizers, L. Grandeau (Jour. Agr. Prat., n. ser., 1^ 

 (1907), No. 33, pp. 201-204).— This is a brief review of the latest practical in- 

 formation regarding progress in the manufacture and use as fertilizers of lime 

 nitrogen and basic calcium nitrate in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and 

 France. 



The utilization of the nitrogen of the air, I^. (iURWiTSCH (Naturw. 

 Wchnschr., 22 (1907), No. 52, pp. 817-820).— The importance of developing addi- 



