722 EXPEEIMENT STATION BECOBD. [Vol. 37 



of adsorption, this being greater at the higher temperature in a given time than 

 at the lower one. The presence of the organic matter in the form of dried blood, 

 cotton.seed meal, alfalfa, barley straw, or wheat straw affects the adsorption 

 of ammonium .sulphate in the soil. Moreover, the application of these materials 

 alone increases the concentration of the soil solution." 



Saltpeter: Its origin and extraction in India, C. M. Hutchinson (Agr. Re- 

 search Inst. Pusa Bui. 68 {1916), pp. 24. pis. .^).— The methods in use by the 

 natives of India for the extraction of nitrate salts from soils and organic 

 matter are described. It is pointed out that the present sources of saltpeter 

 are not fully utilized on account of the native methods used and tie low price 

 of saltpeter. The native methods do not allow of recovery of all the nitrate 

 present in the soil used. It is thought probable that owing to the favorable 

 .soil and climatic conditions in Bihar, artificial niter beds would form a useful 

 additional source of nitrate. 



Potash from incinerator ash of the Northwest, a W. Thing {Jour. Indus, 

 and Engin. Chem., 9 {1917), No. 5, pp. 47»-.^7-J ) .—Experiments conducted at the 

 University of Washington on the extraction of potash from the ash of the burned 

 waste from the lumber industry are reported. The following conclusions are 

 drawn : 



" Potash production from incinerator ash can not be put on a paying com- 

 mercial basis . . . because of (1) low potash content, (2) higher cost of pro- 

 duction, (3) insufficient supply of raw materiaL Unle.ss a new metliod for 

 the disposal of waste Is suggested, the prevailing method of disposal of incin- 

 erator ash is as economical as can be found. Analyses show it to be of little 

 value for fertilizer. If any plan were to be suggested for the successful pro- 

 duction of potash from wood ashes, it must fulfill the following conditions : 

 (1) Dispose of the waste as fast as it is produced; (2) operate at low tem- 

 peratures atKi with slight draughts; (3) successfully meet foreign and domestic 

 competition." 



Tetraphosphate, G. Vinassa {Staz. 8per. Agr. Ital., 49 {1916), No. 7-8, pp. 

 357-S65; ab.i. in Intcmat. Inst. Agr. [Rome'^, Internal. Rev. Sci. and Pract. 

 Agr., 7 {1016), No. 10, pp. 1^19, 1420). — A new phosphatic fertilizer called tetra- 

 phosphate is described, which has been recently put on the market as a substitute 

 for basic slag. It is prepared by mixing powdered phosphorite with carbonates 

 of the alkaline earths, at the rate of 6 per cent by weight of the carbonates, and 

 heating the mixture to 400° C. in special ovens. The ma.ss is then moistened 

 and inert bodies are added until a substance containing 20 per cent total plios- 

 phoric acid is obtained. The finished product is a dry grayish-white powder 

 almost insoluble in water, with which it gives an alkaline reaction, and partly 

 soluble in acids which cause an evolution of carbon dioxid. 



Tetraphosphate was treated with a number of solutions, including water; 

 water saturated with carbon dioxid ; sodium chlorld and nitrate ; ammonium 

 chlorid and sulphate ; IS per cent ammonium acetate ; 40 per cent ammonium 

 malate; 20 per cent ammonium tartrate; 40 per cent ammonium citrate; 0.5, 2, 

 and 10 per cent citric acid ; and a mixture of 4 per cent citric acid, 6 per cent 

 formic acid, and 10 per cent sodium chlorid. Similar tests were conducted with 

 Sfax phosphorite. The solution of citric and formic acids and sodium chlorid 

 was proposed as a suitable reagent for tetraphosphate, but Indicatetl a larger 

 percentage of soluble phosphoric acid in pho.sphorlte than in tetraphosphate. 

 The same result was obtained with all the other solvent solutions. 



" These results would indicate that no valuable changes take place when 

 the phosphorite Is heated with the carbonates of the alkaline earths, and that 

 the process, whicli Is complicated and costly, is also usele.ss. The name tetra- 

 phosphate is very inappropriate, as its insolubility clearly proves it to contain 



