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

| discover that 1t can not MdeIlMle1H
continue to despoil the stores of ma
ture without taking thought for the
morrow" writes Mr.. L. G. Chiozza
Money, NJ. P, in the London News,
"Forest, mine and prairie have been
ravaged until in respect Of many
different commodities world scarcity
has made itself felt at a 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 reparation
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 nitrogenous 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
weld crop. America has got rid
Of the available nitrogen in great
tracts Of her lately virgin soil. The
worlds guano 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 increasin. in number.
! "Fortmately for mankind, science
is proving equal to the occasion. The
daily loaf. endangered by the arts of
business, is to be preserved for us by
the arts Of the laboratory.
"Several scientific processes claim
our attention in this connection. First
let us note that Prof Ostwald and
Dr.. Brauer, two of the brilliant
chemists whom Germany produces 50
prolifically, have made it possible to
produce nitric acid from the ammon-
iacal liquor Of gas and coke works. 1t
is impossible here to detail the technl-
cal process, but it consists essential
" in the decomposition Of ammonia
vapor by Platinum. 1t is a bautiful
method. which depends upon the eS-
posure of the ammonia to the platl-
nun for 1-500th part Of a second of
time. If the exposure were longer
than this unfixeI nitrogen would be
created, and, cf course, lost. The
ammonia vapor has to pass like a gale
Of wind, so that decomposition goes
far enough to produce nitric acid and
not free nitrogen The area Of the
decomposer used is but that Of tea
cup, but it produces 200 pounds of
nitric acid in a day. The production
of nitric acid from ammonia has been
known as a classroom experiment for
sixty years. but the Ostwald-Brauer
process is economical, and gives cheap
nitric acid.
"Not thus alone is the scientist
proving himself master of the situa-
ton. Even more fascinating are the
methods employed for utilizing 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 air. We have.
then. but to manure the soil with air
and the thing is done. The farmer
can do it quite easily-after the scien-
tist has shown him the way. Before
the scientist finds out the way, how
ever, your practical man will make
certain caustic references to dream
ers.' sfaddists' and 'cranks' if you
talk of turning air into quartern
loaveS.
"In Norway. at this moment, with
the aid Of French and German capl-
tai, the power Of great waterfalls is
being used to produce nitrogenous
manure from air at rices low enough
for commerce.
"The process used in Norway IS
that Of Birkland and Eyde, which
employs the electric furnace. The
air is led into the furnace and sub
mitted to an electric disk flame with
diameter Of about 20 inches. Sweep
inc this terrific flame on both sides,
the air is momentarily heated to a
point at which the nitrogen IS oxidlz-
ed. Immediately the gas coming from
l. J