CAfA'lUM Cyanamide. 769 



at the rate of soine tons per day, and " its prinoij)al use in this country 

 (America) is (to quote Pianke again) as a souice of nitrog'en in mixed 

 fertilizers." It is true that mucli of the cyanamide is converted into 

 ammonia, hut that is effected at a cheaper rate than that at wiiich ii 

 is possible to get ammonia from gas liijuor (Journal f ndus. (ind En(). 

 ('hem., vol. 8, p. KiO) and that is rather a recommendation foi- the 

 production of cj'anamide than otherwise. 

 As far as the 



Poisonous Action 



of the dicyanodiamide is concerned. Liechti and Truning-er 

 performed a series of experiments from which it appeared 

 that abnormal specimens of cyanamide, containing 7 per 

 cent, of nitrogen in the form of dicyanodiamide, affected injuriously 

 the yield of wheat grain and to a lesser extent wheat straw, as com- 

 pared with the normal cyanamide. (Journ. Soc. Chem. Ind., vol. 

 35, p. 647, and Exp. Stn. Rec, vol. 36, p. 426). They found that 

 three months' storage of calcium cyanamide, in an atmosphere 

 saturated with moisture, converted the original cyanamide almost 

 wholly into dicyanodiamide, whereas during eight years storage in a 

 wooden box in a dry place no deterioration took place. Independent 

 experiments by Hager and Kern {Journ. Soc. Cherii. Jnd., vol. 35, p. 

 (S56) proved that cyanamide underwent no perceptible change during 

 seven months if no water was added ; there was very little immediate 

 change when 25 per cent, water was added, but in seven months the 

 dicyanodiamide had increased to 2.58 per cent. Wheii 50 per cent, 

 water was added profound changes took place, and the material set 

 to a hard, stone-like mass, which in 2h months contained 7.51, and 

 in seven months 9.17 per cent, of dicyanodiamide nitrogen. From 

 this it follows that calcium cyanamide which has got wet should be 

 used immediately, as otherwise it becomes converted into dicyano- 

 diamide. 



I have above referred to the fact that Norwegian granulated 

 cyanamide contains dicyanodiamide. This may be due to the fact 

 that the granidated form is produced by the agency of water, a 

 method which Hag^er and Kern predict is not likely to succeed. In 

 1913 a granulated cyanamide was placed on the market made by 

 pressing damp cyanamide into briquettes, and this is no doubt the 

 method that is now used in Norway. 



If the cyanamide be not thus g-ranulated its dustiness is apt to 

 produce a caustic action on the skin and mucous membranes, hence 

 the need of converting it into a non-powdery form. 



Conclusion. 



From what has been ascertained thus far, I am of opinion that if 

 proper care be taken in manufacture and storage no ill effects are to 

 be feared from the agricultural use of cyanamide, and I do not see the 

 slightest reason why, if manufactured in this country, it should not 

 l)e made good use of by our farmers. 



If mixed with other fertilizers its incompatability with sulphate 

 of ammonia and with superphospiiate should be noted, but there is no 

 reason whv it should not be mixed with basic slag. 



