The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1896-09-02
THE STORAGE OF N1TRATEs

ing ferments IN soil is, as rule,
greater than the needs of the growing
crop. For this reason the waters of
drainage are found to be more or less
impregnated with nitrates. The sea is
eventually the great sorting ground into
which all this waste material is poured.
The roller process OF nature, like the
mills Of the gods, grind exceedingly slow
and small, and the sea becomes the bolt
ing cloth by which the products of mill
ing are separated and sorted out.
Not only do the drainage waters carry
nitrates but also potash, phosphoric
acid, lime and other soluble materials of
the soil. AS soon as this waste material
is poured into the sea, the process of
sitting at once begins. The carbonate
of lime becomes deposited in vast layers
or by organic life is transformed into
immense coral form atlons or into shells.
PhosphOric acid is likewise sifted out
into phosphate deposits or passes into
the organic life of the sea. Even the
potash, soluble as it is, becomes collected
into mineral aggregates, or passes into
marine life or vegetable growth.
All these valuable materials are thus
conserved and put into shape in which
they may be returned sooner or latter to
the use of man. In the great cosmic
economy there is no such thing as escape
OF any valuable material from usefulness.
The nitrates which are poured into the
sea are sooner or later absorbed by the
seaweed or other marine vegetation, or
serve for the nourishment of the animal
life of the ocean. 1t is highly probable
that the great deposits of nitrates found
in certain arid regions, notably In Chile,
are due to the decomposition of marine
vegetation. There must be present in
the sea vast fields of vegetation which,
growing in water largely imrregnated
with nitrates, become highly charged
with organic heterogeneous matter. In
the changes to level to which the surface
of the earth is constantly subjected, the
depth of the sea often becomes isolated
lakes In the evaporation of the water
of these lakes, such as would take place
in arid regions immense deposits of ma
rine vegetation and common salt would
occur. In the oxidation and nitrifica-
ton of this organic matter, due to fer
mentative action, the organic nitrogen
would be changed into the inorganic
state. In the presence of calcareous
rocks the nitrate of calcium would be
formed, which, finally, by double de-
compositions, would result in the forma-
ton OF nitrate OF soda, the form in which
these deposits now exist. The fact that
iodine is found in greater or less guam.
tity in these deposits of soda saltpeter is
a strong argument in favor of the hy-
pothesis that they are due to marine or
igin. Iodine is found only in sea and
never in terrestrial plants. Further
than this attention should be called to
the fact that these deposits of nitrate of
soda contain neither shells nor fossils,
nor do they contain any phosphate of
lime. 1t is hardly credible, therefore,
that they are due to animal origin. The
activity of ferments in these great de-
posits of marine plants, although taking
place perhaps millions of years ago, has
Sorvod tn cacurn for the farmers of the