The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-04-13

of which IS decidedly, more largely
used for fertilizing Purposes. 1
Nitrate of Soda or Chile Saltpetres is
found. in vast quantities, in the barren.
rainless district of Chile. Peru and
Bolivia. The crude mineral, known
as Caliche, occurs in these deserts in
layers averaging which are from three
to sten feet beneath the surface. The
Caliche generally contains from so to
so per cent of Impurities, which are
made up largely of dirt, rocks, and
common salt. To purify, it is dissolv-
ed in hot water. drawn off into tanks
and allowed to cool. the nitrate OF
o crystals being. formed and depOs-
tied as the temperature of the sOlu-
ton is lowered. After this, the moth
er liquid is drawn Oft the crystals
then slightly raised with water n
then dried in the SUI h purified
product contains usually from 10 to
Is per. cent Of nitrogen. which is
equivalent to 50 or 81 per cent Of nj
trate of soda. The actual amount of
nitrogen present is governed largely
by the moun of Impurities and mois-
ture that are present. It is q light
! grey to a white crystalline salt, which
| absorbs moisture from the air upon
| exposure, especially during damp
weather. 1t is ready soluble in wa
ter and Directly available to plants.
1 Iot III III IL u tfIS1 SCtS lAIo
it is easily leached from the ground,
it should only be applied to growing
plants, and then in small applications
at the time. When nitrate of soda is
exposed in q damp atmosphere it alb
serbs considerable moisture.
Nitrate Of Potash, commonly known
as ssaltpetre,'' although it occurs as a
| deposit in the tropical, rainless dis
| tricts Of India, is derived in largest
| quantities as a commercial product
from the mixing Of nitrate of soda
| II chloride of potash in solution,
cooperating n cooling. It's cost of
production is such as to make it too
costly to compete with nitrate OF So
da. 1t contains, in addition to about
IL per cent Of nitrogen, from A. to
AS per cent OF potash. 1t is readily
| soluble in water, and, like nitrate of
! soda. should be used in limited guam
titles and only to growing plants to
secure the most favorable results.
AmnOniacal Nitrogen.
Nitrogen as compounds of ammo
MIA for. commercial purposes, is found
in the markets chiefly in the form OF
sulphate Of ammonia. 1t is more
available than the organic forms Of
nitrogen.
Sulphate Of Ammonia is mainly de
rived as a by-produce in the manu-
~facture Of Illuminating gas and coke
/ by dry distillation of bittuminous coal.
/ Where the more modern appliances
are used, usually from five to six
pounds of ammonia equivalent to
about 20 to "a pounds of sulphate OF
3ammonia) are obtained from each ton
of coal. Sulphate Of ammonia is also
secured in limited quantities from the
| production of bone-black, ~ in the
| 6istillatiOn of other refuse animal
products. 1t is a rather course. white
salt, which is readily soluble in Wa
ter, hence freely diffuses through the
soil. It's action is somewhat slower
and more prolonged than is that OF
/ nitrates, as it has first to be changed
in the soil to the form of q nitrate be-
fore it can be taken up and used by
growing plants. AS put upon the
4 market, it contains from 20 to Fl Pc
cent Of nitrogen equivalent to from
"a to 50 per cent Of sulphate OF am
monia), which makes it the mos
concentrated heterogeneous product
used agriculturally. It is a valuabl
and fairly cheap source Of nitrogen.