SOILS FERTILIZERS. 323 



The solubility of the nitrogen of the mixed fertilizers agreed closely with 

 that of the nitrogen of the materials used in the fertilizer, and showed that 

 with few individual exceptions the high grade fertilizers (those containing the 

 most nitrogen) had a higher nitrogen solubility than the low grade goods. 



Pot tests of several of the nitrogenous materials on rye showed that all of the 

 materials classed as inferior by determination of solubility in permanganate 

 showed a decided inferiority to dried blood, which was used as a standard for 

 comparison. Peat appeared to be almost worthless as a source of nitrogen, 

 and the nitrogen of the other materials was found to be from about one-fifth 

 to four-tenths as available as that of dried blood. 



Nitric acid from air nitrogen (Ainer. Fcrt., 33 (1010), A'o. Jl, pp. 26, 27, figs. 

 2). — The operation of the Paulling process as applied at Innsbruck in Austria 

 and La Roche de liame near P.riancon in the French Alps is briefly described. 

 It is stated that this process is second in commercial importance only to the 

 Birkeland and Eyde process. 



Calcium cyanamid: Its analysis and the changes it undergoes when ex- 

 posed to the atmosphere, C. Krioux (Ann. Chim. Analyt., 15 (1910), No. 9, pp. 

 3',l-3'i6; a'bs. in Jour. Soc. Clicm. Indus., 29 (1910), No. 19, iw. 1171, 1172).— 

 This article describes the changes which calcium cyanamid undergoes when 

 exposed to the air, and gives a method for determining the relative proportions 

 of cyanamid and dicyandiamid in calcium cyanamid. This method is based 

 upon the fact that calcium cyanamid or cyanamid yields, with an ammoniacal 

 solution of silver nitrate, a precipitate which contains all of the cyanamid ni- 

 trogen, and further that silver nitrate in the presence of potassium hydroxid 

 precipitates all three substances. 



The decomposition of cyanamid by mineral constituents of the soil, H. 

 Kappen (FiihUng's Landw. Ztg., 59 (1910), No. 19, pp. 657-679).— From studies 

 of the action of natural compounds of iron, manganese and aluminum, and of 

 precipitated iron, aluminum, and manganese hydroxids, and of silicic acid on 

 calcium cyanamid, as well as on the behavior of the cyanamid in soils, the 

 author concludes in agreement with Stutzer and Reis (E. S. R., 23, p. 71S), and 

 with Ulpiani (E. S. R., 24, p. 22(5) that the decompositiim of the cyanamid may 

 be purely inorganic in character, although bacteriological action is not ex- 

 cluded. 



Experinients with potash fertilizers, W. Schneidewind, D. Meyee, and 

 F. MiJNTER (LandiD. Jahrh., 39 (1910), Ergdnsungsh. 3, pp. 2.'i7-253, pis. 2; 

 ahs. in Cliem. Zenthl., 19:10, II, No. 6, p. Ji06; Jour. Soc. Chem. Ind%is., 29 (1910), 

 Xo. 17. p. 1070). — These pot experiments included comparisons of phonolite 

 with potassium chlorid and carbonate, and tests of the effect of sodium 

 chlorid, sodium sulphate, magnesium chlorid, and magnesium sulphate applied 

 with the phonolite on beets. The soil used was composed of SO per cent sand 

 from uncultivated land and 20 per cent clay loam from the Lauchstiidt district. 



Ayith potatoes, beets, summer wheat, and a mixture of clover and grass on 

 sandy clay loam, phonolite showed very little fei'tilizing effect, even the potash 

 of the phonolite soluble in hydrochloric acid being much less effective than 

 potassium chlorid and carbonate. The application of sodium chlorid and 

 sodium sulphate with the phonolite increased the yield of fodder beets con- 

 siderably, but magnesium sulphate did not increase the yield, and magnesium 

 chlorid materially retarded it. The increase with sodium chlorid was greater 

 than with sodium sulphate. Both sodium chlorid and magnesium chlorid in- 

 creased the utilization of the soil potash, but with no increase in yield in the 

 latter case. 



81088°— No. 4—11 3 



