The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-09-08
BREAD FROM AIR.
The Modern Miracle of Inventive
Science.

"a prodigal world is beginning to
discover that it can not indefinitely
continue to despoil the stores Of ma
turc without taking thought for the
morrow writes Mr.. l.. G.. Chiozza
Money, M. p, in the London News,
"Forest, mine and prairie have been
ravagcd until in respect Of many
different commodities world scarcity
has made itself felt at il very early
period in the age Of machinery. Fifty
years of wanton waste are beginning
to tell; fifty years more would mean
world famine.
"Of the problems Of rcparation
which have arisen, none is more I'M
portant than the nitrogen problem
Without nitrogen flesh cannot be
Formed: without nitrogen man is i'm
possible. With the preservation and
rapid multiplication Of men the call
for nitro"cnouS foods has led to the
rapid exhaustion Of soils and manure
beds. The soil of the old world de-
mand payment in nitrogen before they
Nicld 4 crop. America has got rid
OF the available nitrogen in great
tracts of her lately virgin soil The
world : guann beds are practically
exhausted. The nitrate deposits will
be IN the same condition within the
lifetime of many now living. This
while the worlds mouths to be fed
are always increasing in number.
Fortunately for mankind. science
Is proving equal to the OCCASION The
daily loaf. endangered by the arts of
business. is to he preserved fnr us hv
the arts of the laboratory.
"Scvcral scientific processes claim
our attention in this connection. First
let us note that Pref OStwald and
DR.. Braucr, two of the brilliant
chemists whom Germany produces 50
prolif'irally. have made it possible tn
produce nitric acid from the ammnn-
iacal liquor Of gas and coke works. It
Is impossible here To detail the tcchni-
cal process, but il consists essential
~ IN the decomposition Of ammonia
vapor by Platinum. Ii is BEAUTIFUL
method. which depends upon the cx-
poSurc of the ammonia to the plati-
mum for l-500th part Of IA second Of
time. IT the exposure were longer
than this mtiXcd nitrogen would be
created, and, of course. lost. The
ammonia vapor has to pass like Il gale
OF wind, SO that decomposition goes
far enough to produce nitric acid and
not free nitrogen. The area Of the
dccomposcr used is but that Of tea
cup, but it produces 200 pounds Of
nitric acid in day. The production
or nitric acid from ammonia has been
known as IL classroom experiment for
sixty years. but the Ostwald- Braucr
process is economical, and gives cheap
nitric acid.
"Not thus alone is the scientist
proving himself master Of the situa-
ti"n. Even more fascinating arc the
methods employed for uilizin. the
nitrogen Of the air
"Air is mechanical mixture Of
oxygen and nitrogen. % pounds Of the
former and II pounds Of the latter
making 100 pounds q air. We have.
thrn. but to manure the soil with air
and the thing is done The farmer
can do it quite caSily--aftcr the scicn-
~ hol ia Al ID a.
the scientist finds ont the way. how
ever, your practical man will make
certain caustic references to dream
crS, faddiSts' and 'cranks' if you
talk Of turning air into qnartcrn
loavcS.
"ln Norway, at this moment, with
thc aid Of French and German capi-
tai, the power Of great waterfalls is
being used to produce heterogeneous
manure from air at prices low enough
for commerce.
"Thc process used in Norway j.
that Of Birkland and Eydc. which
employs the electric furnace. The
air is led into the furnace and snb-
mittcd to an electric disk clamc with
diameter Of about 20 inches. Sweep
ing this terrific flame on both sides,
thc air is momcntarily heated to a
point at which thc nitrogen is oxidiz-
ed. Immediately the Gas coming from
the furnace is cooled down TO avoid
loss Of nitrogen. and led over lime
81 iG,,1 LII