The Dickinson press., 1898-11-05

bushela In othsrswordA 20. Sc pounds
Of nitrate Of soda pf0duced an increase
Of one bushel Of wheat.
Sat this rate, IL, $1,000 tons Of nj.
trate would have to- be distributed annu.
ally IN varying amonntsf'o over the wheat
growing countries 81 tie world: With
regard to the amount Of nitrate suryiy.
ing in, thu. hitter bedside authorities
stateSthatstM raw material, containing
from IS to SO per cent nitrate, will be
exhausted in from 30 to so years at the
present rate Of export. There is a lower
class Of material which cannot at pres
emit be used, but which may ultimately
be manufactured at profit. Assuming
q liberal estimate for this lower grade
deposit, and say that it will equal In
quantity that from the richer quality,
The supply may last possibly so years
1t the ffasSs4of Loco, 600 tons a year,
but at the rate required to augment the
worlds supply Of wheat to tho point
demanded 80 years h6enUsf It will not
last o than four years. So a new
source Of nitrogen Is SfpSe4sable. I"
Sir William Orookes says chat this can
only be in the atmosphere.
SIN it, Zee. state nitrogen is bne of
the most abundant and pervading bodies
on the face Of the earth. Every square
yard Of the earth's surface has nitrogen
gas pressing down on it to. the extent Of
about seven tons, but this Is ii the free
state, and wheat demands II fixed. To
convey this idea in an object lesson, I
may tell you that, previous to Its de-
struction by fire, Colston hall, measur-
ing 146 feet by 80 feet by 20 feet, con-
tanned ~ tons weight Of nitrogen in
its atmosphere. It also contained one
third Of a ton Of argon. In the free
gaseous state thlsaGIer6gen is worthless.
Combined in the form of nitrate Of soda
It would be worth about 60, 600. For
years past attempts have been made to
effect the fxation 81 atmospheric nitro
gen, andssome Of the: processes have met
with sufficient partial SUCCESS to. war
rant experimentaiistsT III pushing their
trials still further, but / think I am
right in saying that no process has yet
been brought to the notice OF scientific
or commercial men which can be con-
sidered successful either as regards cost
or yield Of product. y
This suocessful zAlxua,tion of atrnoa.
pheric nitrogen, then, is to solve the:
vexed question. And, according to Sir
William Orookes:
"The fxation Of nitrogen ia . ones.
tion of the not far distant future. Let
me sect II il not possible even now to
solve the momentous problem. IA far
back as 1892 I exhibited at, one Of the
eoirees of the Royal society an experi-
mept ON sThe Flame Buinip9 Nitro.
gen. I showed that,nitioaen ia a conn
bustible gas, and the reason why when
once ignited the fame does not snread
through the atmogphaASsa md deluee the
world in q sea ,of nitro asoid 81 that ia
ignitinR point isshiuhar than Ana tan-
perature Of its Aame-not therefore, hot
enough to set FIRE 10 the adjacent mir.
ture. Butsby, paauausdnr 4 stronp indnct;on
current batwean farimlnals tho air ~.
fire and continues 6 burn with q no1u.
erful fame, producing nitrous and MI
Trio acids. This inconsiderabla exnar;.
ment may NOT unlikalv lead - tha IA.
yelopment Of : miphty indnstrv- das.
tined 10 solve the pTaat fooi nrnhle,n
With the object Of bnrnine ont nitrogan
from air 80 as to leave aroon hah;nd
LordsRayleiph sHtted mn annaratna for
performine the onaratinn on a isres-
scale and sucoeeded IN eFeotinr the M
ion Of 2e.4 grams Of mixed nitrooen and
Oxygen of 40 expenditure Of n horse.