The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-12-15
AlRlBEIN0 HARNESSED. -
|TO. .ENRICH. FARM LANDS
Extraction Of e0ivng Element Of Plants from Atmosphere
by Electricity Promises Abundant Supply Of Fertility
Export Carbon. Nitrogen, Says Expert


New York, The next
great advance in the Reld Of agriculture,
according to no less an authority than
Sir William Ramsay, the noted English
chemist, will be the harnessing of the
air, or rather of its constituent parts,
10 work for the benefit of the farmer
That this is not merely dream or a
scientific hobby is shown by the fact
that the extraction of the most impor-
ant Of all fertiGzing elements from the
atmosphere is already in successful oper-
alton. By this method Norway is now
producing annually about 10000 tons Of
commercial nitrates valued at over
81 10000 The industry is being rapidly
extended and much of the product is
exported to the United States.
Nitrogen, in the form Of commercial
nitrates, is the element which most farm
crops take from the soil in large quanti-
to maintain its fertility The successful
extraction of this great fertilizer from
the air, therefore, Is considered of the
utmost importance since it effectively
answers the question as to what shall
be done when the nitrate beds of Chile
and other countries are exhausted, as
eventually they must be. The manu-
faeture of nitrates from the air is ac-
complished by blowing the air into
sheet of electric flame produced from
turbines deriving their power from
waterfalls. The nitrogen !, concent-
rated In gray dust which Is shoveled
into sacks and is then ready for ship
ment.
"This question of the supply Of nitro
gen is so important" says T. G. Palmer
who has just prepared report for the
United States Senate dealing with this
subject, that the agricultural progress
or decadence Of a country may be mea-
sured with close accuracy by determin-
ing whether it is exporting or importing
this essential commodity. For half q
century and more the United States has
, been a great exporter OF nitrogen in the
wheat and other food crops which II has
shipped to other countries in raw state.
This tendency Is a decreasing one as
more and more of American food pro-
ducts are consumed at home while nanu-
factured goods are shipped abroad. bat
IN the aggregate American soils have
been robbed OF billions of dollars worth
of fertility in past expectations In con-
trast with this r,,inous policy is the
example of various European nations,
notably Germany, which consume at
home their nitrogen-beFing psodpets and
export those crops which Ake nti1e or
nothing from the soil
'In( 1909, for example, De pn;ted
States exported wheat cotfpd seed meal
and linseed meal to the va1ae Of 1905
rs solely in exchange for foreign sngar.
The value Of ferti1izing clements drawn
rom American soil and sent out OF the
Country with these exports amounted to
$s5.7o5,342. The value of the raw sugar
imported during the same year was
o3,37o,02o while the valne of the fertil-
ling element contained in it was abso-
luteIy nothing. From Germany sugar
was exported to the value of $4o, ,33o, ,s42
and the fertilizing value drawn by it
from German soils was nothing. while
German imports vafsed at $48,ss2,o52
1drew from the United States soil fer
tilizing values amounting to $85O,S6@
S"Germany exports sugar. which comes
wholly from the atmosphere and carries
no fertilizing dement's, b oFdef TO pay
for prodpcts from the Uni3ed Oe.tes.
the fertiIshg clements Of whiA ere worth
,!fom one-third to one-haH Tier fotal
Getting price. "A z result Of these