SOILS — FEHTILTZERS. 731 



Present status and tendencies of the electro-chemical manufacture of 

 nitrate of lime ^Btil. .!/<««. Off. Renneig. Agr. [Parifi], 7 (lilOS), No. 7, pp. 

 ,s/6-tS^W). — Processes of uianufactiire are describtHl. possible iuiproveiuents indi- 

 catetl, and the cost of production with present methods discussed. 



The origin of potash deposits, E. Erdmann {ZtscUr. Aiifjew. Chcm., 21 

 (1908). Ao. -i^, i)i>. U')S')-nO,i). — The literature of this subject is reviewed. 



The utilization of potash in industry and agriculture, P. Kriscue [Die 

 Vrrircrtinig dcs Kalis in Industrie and Ldndirirt.sctKtft. Halle, 1908, pp. 181, 

 pi. /. figs. 16). — This is a complhitiou of information regarding the i)rincipal 

 sources of potash, the development of the potash industry, the industrial and 

 agricultural utilization of potash, and the outlook of the potash industry. 



The use of crude potash salts in German agriculture in the years 1906 

 and 1902, Siemssen (Arh. Drut. Laiidir. GcsclL, IHOS. Xo. /.}7', p. XVI+2.',, 

 miip 1 ; (lbs. in Mitt. Dent. Landw. GesclL, 23 (1908), No. 36, p. 2.9.9).— Statis- 

 tics of the use of potash salts in agriculture in Germany are given in some de- 

 tail, especially with reference to showing the extension of such use from 1902 

 to 1!>(X). The total consumption of potash salts in the German Empire in 1902 

 was about 1,1SG,743.75 tons, in 1906 2,028.072.97 tons, or at the rate of about 140 

 tons per 10,000 acres of arable area in 1902 and 234.18 tons in 1906. 



The phosphate of Thomas slag, V. A. Kroll, Jr. (Stahl u. Eisen, 28 (1908), 

 p. 615; abs. in Cheni. Ztg., 32 (1908), No. o'l, Rcpert., p. 35Ji). — It is reiwrted 

 that one of the i)rincipal constituents of Thomas slag is a hitherto unknown 

 silico-phosiihate, a double salt of lime and ferrous oxid with 5-basic phosphoric 

 .'iciil which crystallizes in hexagonal pyramids. 



The phosphates of Florida (.l//(c/-. Fert., 29 (1908), No. .',. pp. 5-9). — An 

 account is given of the history and present condition of the Florida phosphate 

 deposits, with data as to the extent to which the different classes of phosphate 

 have been exploitetl. 



Phosphate in South seas, J. D. Dreher (Da Hi/ Consular and Trade Rpts. 

 [U. .S'.], 1908, No. 321.',, p. 12).— \t is stated that deposits estimated at .")0.0(X).000 

 tons occur in Ocean and Pleasant islands in the (iilbert group. Smaller de- 

 posits are rei>ort«'d frfmi a number of other islands. A London company con- 

 trols and is beginning to exploit the larger deposits. 



The composition of the products of the eruption of Vesuvius in April, 1906, 

 G. Paris (maz. Hper. Agr. Ital., J, I (1908), No. 5-6, pp. 321-328).— As a result 

 of his own analy.ses and those of a number of other investigators, the author 

 concludes that in the products of the eruption nitrogen comiiounds are found 

 that form anunonia mider the intluence of a high degree of heat in the presence 

 of sodii r)r of lime, and he c(»nclu<lcs further that these componiuls are not stable, 

 but undergo a slow decomposition. i»rob;d)ly by bacterial action, as a result of 

 which they yield anunonia. 



'i'lie fall of volcanic material was injurious to crops then in the soil on account 

 of its high degree of acidity (0.417 per cent calculated as hydrochloric acid), 

 the large percentage of soluble salts (0.9 to L64 jjer cent of substance i, and its 

 weight. The material has, however, notably increased the fertility of the soil, 

 sine*' it has increased the i)roi)ortion of potash, of |ihosphoric at-id, and of nitro- 

 gen, and in some cii.sfs has al.so modilied I he physical pro|»erties of the soil. 



Australian fish fertilizer, IL I). Hakkk (liaihj Cunsular and Trade Ifpts. 

 {('. S.]. 1908, Vo. .lUO, p. 15). — .\ brief account is given of the use of dejid 

 sharks and barracouta in apple orchards near llobart. Tasmania. As the 

 initreatwl lish is very otfensive, a factory has been establisheil for extracting the 

 oil and i)reparlng a drleil fish fertilizer. This factoi-y. which has been built 

 '•n North West Hay near Hobart. has a ca|iacity of 40 tons of i-.iw lish per day. 

 There is said to be uu inexhaustible supply of fish In the vicinity. 



