1916] 



SOILS FERTILIZERS. 



327 



concentrating the soluble potash salts made available by the process previously 

 noted. The process developed has been previously described by Coggeshall 

 (E. S. R., 34, p. 27). 



The results of a comparison of the product with imported German muriates 

 are taken to indicate that " without any attempt at fractional separation, 

 muriate of potash may be made from American feldspars equal in character to 

 the usual imported muriates, and that they are as well adapted to be used 

 in commercial mixed fertilizers as those imported." After a further comparison 

 and discussion of costs of plant and operation, it is stated that " if 80 per cent 

 muriate of potash has been heretofore used at a cost in this country of $37.50 

 per ton, there is shown a saving by the above process of over $6 per ton, or 20 

 per cent profit on the manufacturing cost." 



Potash from fir wood mill waste, H. F. Zoller (Jour. Indus, and Engin. 

 Chem., 8 {1916), No. 2, pp. 105-108). — Analyses of Douglas fir and cedar ashes 

 are reported, the results of which, together with other general considerations, 

 are taken to indicate " that it is possible to obtain potash, calculated as K2O, 

 from Douglas fir mill waste incinerators in the amounts of from 10 to 20 lbs. 

 per ton of ' ash ' employed. Furthermore, that this potash may be obtained, 

 along with other extractable matter, by merely leaching the ash in suitable 

 vats with hot water for a 24-hour period and in all probability a 12-hour period 

 would be as efficient." 



Potash from, kelp: A record of handling kelp in comjnercial large-scale 

 operation, I. F. Laucks {Metallurg. and Chem. Engin., 14 (1916), No. 6, pp. 

 SOJf-308, figs. 6). — This is a record of a trial of large scale kelp handling opera- 

 tions, confined entirely to the species Nereocystis Juetkeana of Puget Sound, 

 including methods and cost of harvesting, transporting, and drying. 



It is stated that this type of kelp contains an average of between 92 and 

 93 per cent water. " The cheapest and most satisfactory type of conveyor is 

 the chain conveyor with wooden flights and either double or single chain. 

 . . . The direct-heat rotary drier appears to be the most satisfactory type." 



The composition and use of certain seaweeds, J. Hendeick (Jour. Bd. Agr. 

 [London], 22 (1916), No. 11, pp. 1095-1107).— A summary of analyses of a large 

 number of samples of the common seaweeds and their ash collected from differ- 

 ent points on the coast of Scotland is given. The following table shows the 

 percentages of ash and of potash in the ash of the different seaweeds : 



Ash and potash of seaweed. 



The fertilizing action of sodium chlorid, B. Schulze (Landw. Vers. Stat., 

 86 (1915), No. 5-6. pp. 323-330; abs. in Chem. ZentU., 1915, II, No. 5, p. 239; 

 Ztschr. Angeio. Chem., 28 (1915), No. 65, Referatenteil, p. 421; Jour. Chem. Soc. 

 ILondon}, 108 (1915), No. 634, I, P- 764).— Fot experiments with mustard on a 



