The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-15
SOME USES or NITROGEN
Chemists Club Meets and Discusses Interesting
Paper by Mr. Carpenter OH Importance Of
Nitrogcnolls COMPOUNDS lin Agrieulture

rbo monthly meeting or the pir-
.ifiin Chemists cub was held Friday
3nirhI n, the Vlri;ihia Mechanics In.
s.tjtnt" Tile Attendance Wns ever, bet
tt{r diam Inst month. After routine
,aisinrss was linisbed The president
lpr. Ataertldar. annonnced tl,at the fen
8iir, OF the e"ening would liz paper
contributed by Mr. i. t.. Carpenter
fifth, Virginia Carolina Chemical Com
II rs. 'hs proved to be highly In
.rcsiilig 10 the chemists present, and
~. heard with close attention. From
an economic point Of view, II vs. of
senriat interest. The subject was "'rhe
itiiportstncc OF heterogeneous COMPOUNDS
nc supply Mr. Carpenter said in
art E
The proper fertilization OF the soil
q one ~ the most important problems
with which the agriculturist has to
iea To maintain the productive power
IL the soil. upon which man and animal
are dependent for existence. is ques-
don which concerns the welfare of the
whole human race. The virgin lands
which were once so fertile are fast
disappearing, and the most prosperous
agricultural sections of to-day are
those where the science of plant feed
ing has been the most highly developed.
Food for Plants
Science has demonstrated that all
plants. like animals, require certain
elements of plant food to sustain life,
md II they are, to be developed vigor-
! oiIsly and thrive, this food must be
supplied in abundance. Most of these
necessary elements are found in sufii.
cient quantity in nearly all cultivated
soils. but 1t has been learned by ex-
poriepce that nitrogen. phosphoric acid
and potash are often deficient. or be-
come so, by long continued cultivation.
Phosphoric acid and potash In suit
able form to he converted into plant
fuod have been provided In the economy
of nature much more botintifully than
nitrogen. and to furnish n Sufficient
supply of this latter element Mt a rea-
sonable cost is one of the great
problems which Is now confronting us.
The continually increasing demand for
ammoniates has caused the price to
nearl. double in the past few years,
aud unless combined nitrogen is sup
piled in quantities from some new
source, we must expect the price to
continue TO advance.
The more recent Developments IN
science have demonstrated that diff
tain conditions, are possessed with the
power of fixing atmospheric nitrogen
and accommodating 1t in the soil; in
fact, 1t is probable that a large part of
the nitrogen required In agriculture is
now. and always will be. obtained from
..hc nitrogen of the atmosphere. through
the agency OF these soil bacteria
Among tho materials which have fur
nished the chief supply of available
nitrogen In the past may be mentioned
nitrate of soda. suIphste of ammonia,
tankage, dried blood, fish, cotton seed
meal, etc. The present total consump-
ton OF nitrate of soda alone is about
l,Ioo,ooo tons per annun, and at the
present rate OF use, according to care
IN estimates, will be exhausted in
loss than fifty years. The prospects of
increasing demands in the future and
decreasing supplies, together with the
high prices which have prevailed In
recent years, have stimulated research
and many new products have been pro-
posed.
In this country some attcmpt il
being made to utilize the vast deposit,
OF peat which exist in different sec.
ions this peat. when dried and
ground, forms a product containing
about IL per cent nitrogen.
If every available nitrogen contain
ing product is made use OF, there will
not be sufficient amount of combined
nitrogen to supply the ever increasing
demand We therefore must look to
sonic other source Of supply.
The air is composed OF about so
per cent nitrogen by volume, and it
Is TO this ineShaustible supply that
scientists are turning their attention.
Nitrogen in it's elementary form is
extremely inert. and only by extreme
means can ii be caused to combine with
other substances and converted into
valuable compounds. Tn spite of the
many difficulties. however. which will
have to be overcome. recent progress in
science leads US TO believe that the
ntrogenons fertilizers of the future will
he largely produced from this mex
haustihie snppiy--the atmosphere.
Recent Problem.
The problem. .of making the nitrogen
of the air available in agriculture and
The arts is recent one, the great
progress which has been made how
ever, towards bringing this problem to