20 



obtain of the tliree important constituents of plant food, has 

 been presented to us in several new combinations derived 

 from formerly unknown sources. The natural nitre beds of 

 Chili have, during the past twenty years, supplied vast quanti- 

 ties of nitrate of Soda, and I am happy to be able to state 

 that information has just been received from Dr. Hanlis, State 

 Mineralogist of California, that immense beds of nitrate of 

 Soda have been discovered in Nevada at Brown's station, 

 Hambott Desert. This addition to the mineral resources of 

 our marvellous country is one of great importance, and has a 

 direct bearing upon the future agricultural interests of the 

 nation. Beside the nitric acid salts, nitrogen is furnished in 

 sulphate of ammonia which comes principally from the gas 

 manufacturers. The herring fisheries on our own and other 

 coasts, supply enormous quantities of dried fish pomace, which 

 is rich in nitrogen. The entire waste organic products of our 

 cities and large towns which hold abundance of nitrogen in 

 available forms will soon be utilized, as recent experiments 

 promise success in this direction. Most important of all, 

 perhaps, is the reasonable expectation that the vast ocean of 

 gaseous nitrogen in the air, will be fixed in certain combina- 

 tions, so as to be made available for the uses of husbandmen. 

 Chemistry is at work upon this problem, and the outlook is 

 liopeful to say the least. 



What of potash, the third in the trio? I have only to point 

 out to you the enormous production of this alkali, at the salt 

 mines in Germany, a quantity so large as to influence prices 

 of potash combinations the world over. Notwithstanding the 

 increased consumption in agriculture and the arts, and the 

 failure of supplies from wood ashes, the price of potashes has 

 greatly declined during the past fifteen years, and it is proba- 



