NITRATE OF SODA. 91 



The few tons thus imported laid on hand for 

 some time, no profitable use having been dis- 

 covered for the article, when it was suggested 

 that it might be profitably employed for agri- 

 cultural purposes. A trial was made, and the 

 immense benefits resulting from its use became 

 at once apparent, and from that time to the pre- 

 sent a continually increasing demand for it has 

 existed, which has raised the annual importation 

 into the port of Liverpool alone, to upwards of 

 55,000 bags, and at the present time there seems 

 to be no limit but its price to its universal use. 



In its analysis 100 parts yield, 



Nitric Acid, 58 parts. 

 Soda, 42 parts. 



and 100 parts of nitric acid are again resolva- 

 ble into 



Nitrogen, 26 parts. 



Oxygen 74 parts. 



So that each 100 parts of the nitrate of soda, 

 contains about 15 parts of pure nitrogen. 



It would be foreign to our purpose to note 

 here the various results that have followed the 

 use of this manure, and even were it not, it 

 would bo a work of supererogation, as it is 

 now so established and so universally used, 

 that each parish almost throughout England 

 can furnish some evidence of the benefits de- 

 rived from its use. 



Our object here will be to prove that grasses 



