1918] SOILS FERTILIZERS. 625 



extracted with solutions of ammonium sulphate; and the positively injurious 

 action of manganese sulphate, iron sulphate, and aluminium sulphate on 

 seedling plants in water cultures and pot cultures when taken together form 

 a chain of facts which clearly indicates that the injurious effects of sulphate 

 of ammonia, when used freely without the accompaniment of lime, are due to 

 the formation of these soluble salts in the soils of the fields so dressed." Fur- 

 thermore, it is stated that " in the presence of calcium carbonate, water has 

 removed no observable amounts of aluminium or manganese salts, and bare 

 traces of iron salts, indicating that lime either reacts with the ammonium salt 

 promptly, or subsequently breaks up the salts of aluminium and manganese, 

 and also iron salts, almost completely." 



Electrocheniical atmospheric nitrogen fixation industry, O. Scarpa {Ann. 

 Chini. Appl. [Ro7ne], 7 {1917), No. 1-4, pp. 27-87, figs. 25).— This is a detailed 

 description of the manufacture of nitrates by the direct oxidation of atmos- 

 pheric nitrogen, the synthetic production of ammonia, and the production of 

 nitric acid by ammonia oxidation. 



Method of sale of nitrate of soda to farmers by the United States Gov- 

 ernment {U. S. Dept. Agr., Office Sec. Circ. 78 {1918), pp. 11).— An outline is 

 given of the plan of procedure promulgated by the Secretary of Agriculture 

 for the sale and distribution of nitrate of soda to farmers by the United States 

 Government, under authority of the Pood Control Act (E. S. R., 37, p. 303). 



Nitrog'en from sewage, S. Rideal {Canad. Engin., 32 {1917), No. 7, p. 157; 

 abs. in Chem. Abs., 11 {1917), No. 7, p. 859). — The author states that an enor- 

 mous bulk of nitrogen is wasted in sewage and that ammonia may be recovered 

 therefrom by heat or by aeration. If activation is carried on in the presence 

 of lime, it is thought that some ammonia may be recovered with air. The 

 further opinion is expressed that nitrogen may also be recovered from the 

 effluent of sprinkling filters by evaporation in special beds. 



Acid phosphate v. raw rock phosphate, C. E. Thorne {Mo. Bui. Ohio Sta., 

 2 {1917), No. 12, pp. 390-393). — The superiority of acid phosphate over raw 

 rock phosphate when applied in equal amounts, both alone <ind in combination 

 with muriate of potash, lime, or manure, is thought to be fully demonstrated 

 in experiments involving rotations of corn, oats, and clover conducted at 

 Wooster for thirteen years, and of corn, wheat, and clover in progress for 

 20 years, as indicated by both crop and money returns based on values pre- 

 vailing up to 1914 and on current values. An experiment recently established 

 involving a rotation of corn, oats, wheat, and clover, and in which 480 lbs. of 

 acid phosphate and 768 lbs. of raw rock phosphate, representing equal money 

 values, are used, in addition to 8 tons of manure, has given the same relative 

 results. 



Domestic supplies of potash, E. H. Jenkins {Connecticut State Sta. Bui. 

 198 {1917), pp. 45-52). — The average percentages of potash, phosphoric acid, 

 and in some cases lime and other constituents, are given for Canada hardwood 

 ashes, ashes from household fires, corncobs, brush heaps, brick kilns, witch- 

 hazel stills, brass mills, smokehouses, and seaweeds, and the value of these 

 materials as well as of salt marsh and river-meadow hay and farm manure 

 as sources of potash is discussed. 



Emphasizing the importance of saving all the wood ashes from stoves and 

 fireplaces, the author states that " too much can not be said of the value of 

 the ' open fire ' in the house, whether in city or country. Aside from its value 

 for heating and ventilation, it should be more used than it is as a ' de- 

 structor ' for many kinds of wastes, recovering from them the most of what 

 has any value. A hot fire will dry and consume with no annoyance much of 

 the kitchen waste of the day, or if the waste is buried at night in the hot aslies 

 61347'— 18 3 



