Under this is found the "Caliche," or crude Nitrate. The Food for 

 layer of "Caliche" is sometimes eight or ten feet thick, but Plant8 

 averages about three feet. This "Caliche" contains on the 9 

 average about 50 per cent, of pure Nitrate of Soda. 



There is ample Nitrate (1907) now in sight to last, it 

 is calculated, over three hundred and fifty years. 



The "Caliche" is refined by boiling in water to dissolve 

 the Nitrate. The hot water is then run off and allowed to 

 cool in tanks, when the Nitrate forms in 

 crystals like common salt. The Nitrate is Method of 

 then placed in bags of a little over two hun- Kenning, 

 dred pounds each and shipped to all parts of the world. 

 How these beds of Nitrate were formed has been 

 the subject of much speculation. The generally accepted the- 

 ory is, that they were formed by the gradual decomposition 

 and natural manurial fermentation of marine animal and 

 vegetable matter, which contains a considerable amount of 

 Nitrogen. The process of refining is an expensive one. 



The same wise Providence that stored up the coal in 

 the mountains of Pennsylvania to furnish fuel for people 

 when their supply of wood has become exhausted, preserved 

 this vast quantity of Nitrate of Soda in the rainless region 

 of Chile, to be used to furnish their crops with the neces- 

 sary Nitrate when the natural supply in the soil has become 

 deficient. 



The enormous explosive industry of this country could 

 not be conducted without Nitrate of Soda, 

 and glass works are dependent upon it. In 5 uses, 



fact, glass works and powder works usually have Nitrate 

 on hand. 



Nitrate of Soda has a special bearing . . 



on the progress of modern agriculture, * & \t 



being the most nutritious form of Nitrog- ! " . 

 enous or ammoniate plant food. While 

 the action of micro-organisms with certain crops (legumes} 

 combines and makes effective use of the inert Nitrogen of the 

 atmosphere, such action is far too slow and uncertain for all 

 the requirements of modern agriculture, for it is not avail- 

 able for use for a whole year or even longer. The rapid ex- 

 haustion of combined Nitrogen has several times been noticed 

 by eminent scientific men, with reference to food famine, be- 



