NEW FERTILIZER MATERIALS AND BY-PRODUCTS. 177 



number of inquiries received concerning its nature, a short de- 

 scription may not be out of place. 



Cyanamid is made by combining atmospheric nitrogen with 

 calcium carbide at a high temperature, electricity being used 

 as the heating agency. Two forms of cyanamid are now offered 

 to the trade in this country, both being of a dark slate color. 

 One is a fine powder, the other granular. The chemical com- 

 position of the two products seems to be about the same. The 

 granular cyanamid possesses some advantages over the pow- 

 dered form. It would be less dusty and disagreeable to handle, 

 and probably could be used in larger proportions in mixtures 

 with organic ammoniates and acid phosphates without causing 

 loss of ammonia or serious reversion of the phosphoric acid. 

 The nitrogen in cyanamid is largely soluble in water and in 

 availability ranks well with sulfate of ammonia; it is not in 

 the form of ammonia, however, but rather of an amide com- 

 pound which is easily broken up in contact with water and be- 

 comes readily available in the soil. The product may be used 

 as a quick-acting nitrogen source. Cyanamid may have an 

 advantage over sulfate of ammonia in that it will not leave an 

 objectionable acid residue in the soil as does the latter product. 

 The residue left by cyanamid is a lime product which sooner 

 or later will have a beneficial sweetening effect upon the soil. 

 It would probably not be good practice to use more than 100 

 to 150 pounds of the cyanamid to the ton if the fertilizer mix- 

 ture is likely to remain unused for a number of months. The 

 free lime in the cyanamid will gradually cause a reversion of 

 the soluble phosphoric acid. In the preparation of home-mix- 

 tures, which contain nitrate of soda, tankage, dry gi'ound fish, 

 blood, as well as other organic ammoniates, with acid phosphate 

 and potash salts, a small proportion of cyanamid will be wisely 

 included, as it favors the improvement of the mechanical con- 

 dition of the mixture. It will aid materially in preventing the 

 lumping of the fertilizer as well as the loss of nitrogen from 

 the nitrate of soda under the influence of freshly prepared acid 

 phosphate. These advantages will more than compensate any 

 loss in the solubility of the phosphoric acid in the acid phosphate 

 due to the action of the free lime in the cyanamid. This is 

 particularly true if the proportion of cyanamid to the acid 



