Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-17

was the use of mineral fertilizers to
raise harvest, which, dried by the
sun, could be converted entirely into
gaseous fuel, the ammonia being fixed
ond returned to the soil as fertilizer,
together with the ash. He also deemed
it possible to produce the things we
need directly without. the Intervention
of much factory machinery II am
monia can be directly obtained from
atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen
the recent technical achievement OF.
great German chemical manufacturing
company-why should it not be possi-
BILE. he asks, to utilize solar energy in
connection with catalytic substances
and thus artificially reproduce plant
processes on an unprecedented, scale?
photochemical laboratory in North
ern Africa might thus produce imme-
,diately useful substances now sup
piled only after much coai-burning, en7
gine-d driving and mechanical handling
.ofEraw material.
A meadow is not highly efficient
transformer of solar energy, but the
manner in which 1t synthesizes the
chemical elements stored up in the
earth with the aid of sunshine might
well be artificially reproduced. and the
solar engine itself abandoned except
for purely thermodynamic purposes. IL
a plant can reverse the process of COM
bustion, If it can transform the carbon
dioxide of the atmosphere into starch,
simultaneously setting free oxygen,
why can't man adopt the same princi-
pie with success? At all events, Prof.
Ciamician holds that it lies within our
royyer fp mako plapfc prodi1oo n h,tnd.
antly the things we need The possibil-
ity is indicated when we consider the
ease with which we have increased the
amount of sugar in the sugar beet and
the percentage of protein in wheat
In an Introductory lecture to the en-
cheering classes at University Col
lege, London, Prof. J. A. Fleming, in
considering the sources OF energy
available to mankind, pointed out that
the earth is a great flywheel. 1t whirls
along in it's orbit with a velocity OF
about 20 miles a second, or 1000 times
that of an express train. Its rotation
al energy is a hundred thousand mil
Lon billion horsepower hours: but
the total orbital energy or energy of
motion in it's orbit is ten thousand
times greater. Suppose" said Prof.
ouppooC VIC SCoiu III SOhAO
way or other slow down its rotation SO
as to make the day five minutes longer.
This would Gecease the earth's angular
velocity by about one third of one per
cent. and decrease the angular energy
by about two thirds of one per cent, OF
say by 1-150 part. If then We COULD
capture and store up the difference In
the rotational energy in the two cases.
it would give us about six million bill
lion horsepower hours, or billion
horse power for seventy thousand
years. The energy We can obtain by the
combustion of all the one thousand
millions tons of coal at present raised
per year, sinks into significance COM
pared with the enormous energy which
would be set free by an almost imper-
ceptible lengthcning of the earth's di-
urnal rotation"
Prof Filming was not rash enough to
Indicate in what manner this unthink-
able amount of energy could be utiliz-
ed Those who will attempt that will
find themselves engaged in the mad
task of designing perpetual motion ma
chimes. .ii