December 1, 1898.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



239 



Sheep cannot assimilate more tbau half of the 12 per cent. 

 of nitrogenous matter contained in clover bay. Human 

 beings would be able to assimilate scarcely any of the 

 nutriment in hay, the White King, in " Through the 

 Looking-Glass," who took hay when he was faint, being of 

 course an exception to the rule. By submitting the hay to 

 preliminary treatment by an ox or sheep, man is able to 

 assimilate the nitrogen and other nutrients contained in 

 hay in the form of beef or mutton. 



To sum up, we may say that nitrogen exists as — 



1. Atmospheric nitrugen, in which the atoms of nitrogen 

 are combineil ii-ith each other. The bacteria associated with 

 leguminous plants feed upon atmospheric nitrogen. 



2. Amnioniacal nitrogen, on which plants can, and to some 

 extent do feed. Here nitrogen is coinhined irith ligdrogen. 

 The source of ammoniacal nitrogen is the decay of animals 

 and plants. 



3. Nitrate nitrogen, in which nitrogen is combined irith 

 oxygen. This is the principal form in which plants obtain 

 their nitrogen. Nitrates, generally speaking, are formed by 

 the oxidation of the ammoniacal compounds produced in 

 the decay of animal and vegetable matter. In the presence 

 of alkalies in the soil, such as lime and potash, soluble 

 nitrates are formed which supply both nitrogen and alkali 

 to plants. Nitrate nitrogen is also brought into the soil 

 by the action of electrical discharges in the atmosphere. 



4. Organic nitrogen, in which the nitrogen is combined with 

 carbon. This is the form in which nitrogen is taken by 

 animals, either directly from vegetable food — more par- 

 ticularly from green vegetables — or in flesh-feeding animals, 

 partly as above and partly in the form of lean meat. The 

 organic compounds of nitrogen after the death of the 

 animal or plant furnish the food of the nitrifying bacteria, 

 which assist in the work of splitting up these compounds, 

 sending off the carbon as carbonic acid, and leaving the 

 nitrogen, first in combination with hydrogen, and after- 

 wards oxidizing the nitrogen to the form of a nitrate. 



Clftfss Coltttnn. 



By C. D. LooooK, B. A. Oxen. 



All oommunioations for this column should be addressed 

 to the " Chess Editor, Knowledge Office," and posted before 

 the 12th of each month. 



Solution of Problem No. 1. 

 Key-move. — 1 Q to B2. 

 If 1. ... K to K4, or K X P 2. Q to B6ch. 

 1. . . . R moves, 

 1. . . . Kt moves, 

 1. . . . PxP, or P toB4, 

 Dual after 1. . . . K to B5, by 

 Q to QKt2. 



Solution of Problem No. 2. 



Keif-more — 1. R to B5. 

 If 1. . . . PtoBO, 2. Kt to B5eh 



1. . . . Kt to B7, 2. 



1. . . . KxKt, 2. 



1. ... P to K4, 2. 



1. ... Kt to Q4, 2. 



1. . . . Anything else, 2. 

 Dual after 1. ... P to Kt5, by 2. R. 



B5ch. 



Correct Solutions received from the following : — 



Eight Points. — Kt. J., F. R. Adcock, Rascal, Buttercup, 

 W. T. Hurley, Semper, A. C. Challenger, A. R., B. G. 

 Laws, Guy. 



2. QxPch. 

 2. Q to Q2ch. 

 2. Q to QR2ch. 

 2. Q to gR2ch, or 



R to B4 

 Q X Pch. 

 R X BPch. 

 Q to K2ch. 

 R to K5ch 



to K5ch or Kt to 



Seren Points.—'R. G. Thomson, W. B. Huggitt, W. N., 

 Mogo, Birkenbaum, R. B. Cooke, G. S. Cummings, 

 A Norseman, Chat. 



Si.i- Points. — H. S. lirandreth, W. A. Champion, Alpha, 

 .Esculap, Quill, H. Holmes, W. J. Jubb, How's That?, 

 A. R. Whitehouse, J. H. Christie, L. Bourne, Humilis. 



Iliimilis. — The rule about the post-mark is intended to 

 refer to the district in which the letter is posted. 



/.. Boji me a,ni II. //o/mcs.— By referring to the solutions 

 of the two problems given above, you will see exactly what 

 is meant by a " dual " continuation. 



J/()/7().— Chess-Editor, Hackney Mercury, 10, The Grove, 

 Hackney, N. 



II'. P). Huggitt. — In that case it is difficult to believe 

 that the problem can have been up to your customary 

 level. 



Pearl of the Garden. — The problem has been entered. 

 The post-mark shows that it was posted in time, though it 

 arrived too late to acknowledge last month. 



A iVors«ma«.— Could you not avoid some of the misprints 

 which constantly occur in your Chess notation '? Un- 

 punctuality condoned for this once only. 



Position No. 3. 



' Sweetness and purity cnmbincd — 

 And man contents his lofty mind." 

 Blaoe (5). 



fe^J 





Whitk (li). 



White mates in three moves. 



Position No. 4. 

 " Stella." 



iBLACK (4). 



■„„„„J 





m mm. 



Mi„ I' 



« wm '4m. ^ 



White (5». 



White mates in three moves. 



