26 



EXPERIMENT STATION. 



[Jan. 



EXPERIMENTS TO DETERMINE THE NITRO- 

 GEN ABSORPTION CAPACITY OE SEVERAL 

 WELL-KNOWN CHEMICALS. 



BY HENRI D, HASKINS. 



Some years since a series of tests was instituted to show the 

 nitrogen-absorbing capacity of several of the better known 

 chemicals, more commonly used as fixers or absorbers of nitro- 

 gen in the form of ammonia, resnlting from the decomposi- 

 tion of barnyard manure. Four hundred and fifty grams of 

 manure were employed in each test, and 100 grams of each 

 of the following chemicals were used : - — 



1. Sulfate of magnesia. 



2. Sulfate of lime (gypsum). 



3. Sulfate of potash-magnesia. • 



4. Kainit. 



5. High-gxade sulfate of potash. 



The chemicals were all tested for nitrogen with negative 

 results. An analysis of the several manures which are repre- 

 sented by the numbers from 1 to 5, as in case of the chemicals, 

 showed the following percentages of moisture and nitrogen. 



The tests were conducted in the following manner: 450 

 grams of manure were placed in like-sized crystallization dishes, 



