628 EXPERIMEXT STATION RECORD. [Vol.41 



the advantage over amuioiiiuiii nitrate tliat it can be spread more uniformly 

 and is mueli less hygroscopic and explosive. 



Economic analysis of the world shortage in phosphate, L. B. Andekson 

 (Amer. Fert., 51 (1919), No. 7, pp. If'1-59, figs. 4). — In this analysis and sum- 

 mary of the world's phosphate industry, data are reported indicating that the 

 total world shortage in phosphate production occasioned by the war amounts 

 to about 15,000.000 tons. This country contains the greatest known phosphate 

 deposits and is the largest producer of natui'al phosphate, but the phosphate 

 export business which it was unable to do during the war was about 5,000,000 

 tons. Basic slag production did not increase rapidly enough to offset the 

 shortage in phosphate, and Tunis now exports more phosphate than the United 

 States. 



" The Special Commission to Europe reports a big demand for fertilizer. 

 Ocean tonnage is the principal factor tending to retard the development of the 

 business at the present time. The policy of the Shipping Board will be to 

 nfeet foreign rates, and develop the business in so far as it can be consistently 

 done. The present methods of selling phosphate are very favorable to the 

 American exporter as contrasted with prewar methods. Europe must im- 

 port phosphate in large quantities if the original productivity of the soil is to 

 be restored. The United States, owing to her splendid deposits, is in a good 

 position to develop this biisiness when normal conditions again prevail." 



The mineral superphosphate industry, E. Staxjb (Chim. et Indus. [Paris], 

 2 {1919), No. 2, pp. 123-132, figs. 8; abs. in Chem. Abs., 13 (1919), No. 10, pp. 

 1115, 1116). — This is a review of the process used in the manufacture of super- 

 phosphate and also of various other processes that have been proposed for 

 treating phosphate rock, including (1) digestion with sodium acid sulphate, 

 (2) ignition with silica and an alkali salt to form artificial slags, (3) manu- 

 facture of tetraphosphate, and (4) manufacture of double superphosphate 

 by treatment with acids. 



Artificial phosphatic slag, A. Bruno and L. Bonnet (Coinpt. Rend. Acad. 

 Agr. France, 5 (1919), No. 20, pp. 592-59.^; abs. in Chem. Abs., 13 (1919), No. 

 17, p. 2102). — This is a brief description of an artificial phosphatic slag manu- 

 factured from phonolite rock by the Germans during their occupation of Bel- 

 gium. An analysis shows total phosphoric acid 11.5, citrate soluble phosphoric 

 acid 6.5, potash soluble in strong acid 2.4, and in weak acid 1.07 per cent. 

 The use of this slag on sandy soils is recontmended especially for potatoes, 

 although it is the opinion that phonolite was chosen for this material on ac- 

 count of its ease of vitrification rather than for its potash content. 



Determination of the relative value of different forms of phosphorus upon 

 the soil at Columbia, M. F. Miller and ¥. L. Duley (Missouri Sta. Bui. 163 

 (1919), p. 67). — Comparative trials of rock phosphate, acid phosphate, bone 

 meal, basic slag, and calcined phosphate, on wheat in plats showed that re- 

 spective average increases of 2.3, 3, 7.5, 3.8, and 5.5 bu. per acre were obtained. 

 The results with calcined phosphate, which is a heat treated rock phosphate, 

 are considered specially promising. 



Future of the potash industry, J. W. Turbentine (Chem. and Met all. Engin., 

 20 (1919), No. 7, pp. 310, 311; abs. in Chem. Abs., 13 (1919), No. 10, p. 1129).— 

 This is a plea for scientific organization and cooperation in the development of 

 American potash. 



American potash in crop production, E. O. Fippin (Cornell Countryman, 16 

 (1919), No. 3, pp. 121, 122, 1J,0, 1^2, lU, fig. i).— The author summarizes data 

 from different sources to indicate the importance of potash as a fertilizer, and 

 draws attention especially to the reduction in crop yields due to the recent 

 scarcity of potash. " It can be expected that potash will come back into com- 



