The following table shows the percentage of liberated nitrogen, in 

 form of actual ammonia compounds, absorbed by each fixer : 

 Magnesium Sulphate (kieserite), 38.88% 



Potash-magnesium sulphate, 34-2 5 



Kainite, 27.67 



High grade sulphate of potash, 11 -45 



Sulphate of lime (gypsum), .86 



From the above table it will be seen that sulphate of lime 

 (gypsum), although enjoying the reputation of being the ammonia 

 absorbent more commonly used in general farm practice, really 

 possesses the lowest ammonia absorption capacity of any chemical 

 under trial. This is no doubt due to the low solubility of the gypsum. 



The above results, in all probability, do not represent the actual 

 nitrogen absorption power of the chemicals as used in ordinar}' farm 

 practice. In conducting the experiments it was necessary that the 

 chemicals be placed in a suitable receptacle for the purpose of pre- 

 serving the samples for a subsequent chemical analysis. When 

 brought in direct contact and incorporated with the manure, the 

 nitrogen absorption power of the chemicals would, no doubt, be very 

 much greater, for the reason that, with the exception of the sulphate 

 of lime (gypsum), the chemicals are all more or less soluble in water 

 and in the condition of solution would have a much higher nitrogen 

 absorption capacity than when in the dry pulverized form. 



All of the information hoped for in conducting the experiments 

 was to establish the comparative nitrogen absorption capacity, under 

 similar physical conditions, of the different chemicals under 

 consideration. 



We publish this abstract of our experiments in advance of the 

 detailed description of the same for the purpose of directing, 

 once more, the attention of farmers to the necessity of saving, in the 

 interest of good economy, all of the animal and vegetable refuse of 

 their industry for the maintenance of the fertility of the soil. 



