246 APPENDIX 



in February or early March. It can be mixed with 

 superphosphate, and a mixture of about eight parts 

 of superphosphate to one of nitrolim makes an ex- 

 cellent turnip manure which can be sown from the 

 drill with the seed, but during the mixing a good deal 

 of heat is developed. The mixing is, however, quite 

 safe, and the heat can be diminished by sprinkling the 

 mass with water. 



The electrical method of bringing the nitrogen and 

 oxygen in the air into combination by means of the 

 intense temperature of the arc is now the basis of two 

 or more working processes. In the Berkeland-Eyde 

 process air is blown through an intensely heated flat 

 flaming arc and the combined gases which issue are 

 absorbed by water and lime, with the eventual pro- 

 duction of a nitrate of lime containing rather more 

 than 13 per cent, of nitrogen. This nitrate of lime is 

 now being turned out on a large scale from a factory 

 at Notodden in Norway, and other works are in con- 

 templation. Nitrate of lime is a rather coarse white 

 powder which absorbs water rapidly from the air, and 

 if left lying loose in a damp place will take up so 

 much moisture as to liquefy. As a source of nitrogen 

 it behaves exactly like nitrate of soda ; it can be used 

 in the same way and for the same crops as nitrate of 

 soda, and will, nitrogen for nitrogen, give the same 

 returns. Being rather less rich in nitrogen (13"5 per 

 cent, against 15*5 per cent.), about 8 lb. must be 

 reckoned as the equivalent of 7 lb. of nitrate of soda, 

 128 lb. in place of a hundredweight of nitrate of 

 soda. The fact that in the new fertilizer the nitric 

 acid is combined with lime and not with soda will be 

 of value on many soils, especially on those of a heavy 



