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tilizer for multilane highways, roadside, and median strip turf has not been accorded much attention in the past. The need for speed eliminates hand application, a n d pumping of fertilizer solutions, including seed, calls for con venient water sources a n d cosdy equip ment. Allied Chemical says it has n o w d e veloped an idea which state roadway authorities find workable. it allows the use of dry granular fertilizers and a simple means of application somewhat similar t o sandblasting. In this a gun is employed costing less than $100, a n d which w a s worked out in cooperation with Chowning Regulator Corp., Corn ing, Ν. Υ. One or more may b e op erated from a moving truck. The idea is now in use, experimen tally or as established procedure, by New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, and Maryland. An idea of what this outlet alone means t o nitrogen a n d other fertilizers, when fully developed, will b e seen in t h e estimate that t h e treatment is needed for 25,000 acres of New York State's Thruway. Grass a n d other growth are essential in preventing erosion and destruction of embank ments a n d of the highways themselves through rains. • Federal Program. Although snarled for the time being b y lack of state funds and planning, t h e $33.8 billion federal highway project should offer t h e major roadway fertilization Nitrogen and other nutrients v ^ v e been shown t o fatten t h e fish in lakes and job. I t will be a 13-year program. ponds b y increasing t h e growth of microscopic plants. Here the nitrogen- Upon its completion there will be 4 1 , phosphate-potash fertilizer is dropped b y hand into a n unfertilized pond 000 miles of four- a n d six-lane highways needing improvement and maintenance. The fertilizer gun worked out for this purpose has a simple and ingenious method for feeding t h e contents of t h e paper fertilizer b a g to t h e nozzle. A pointed "bag feeder" to which the suc tion hose is attached pierces the con Fertilization of state highways, trees, lakes, and pas tainer and obviates the necessity of opening the contents. ture lands in its new development program
Nitrogen Problem: Allied's Answers
A I M M O ^ I A CAPACITY of 4,236,000 tons
operated today by 4 5 plants is t h e chemical industry's biggest problem child. This is much more than agricul ture can use even if i t does take 8 0 % • of the supply. Uses for anhydrous ammonia other than t h e farm a r e being given serious attention b y the industry. Allied Chemical and D y e is taking a particularly aggressive approach to building markets. Last week Allied's nitrogen division culminated a long a n d cosdy research program with the announcement of this four-part program for expanding ammonia nitrogen uses: •Roadside fertilization along thous ands of miles of state a n d federal high 4936
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ways using a modified and rapid "sandblasting" technique. •Air-fertilization of our forests that will increase tree growth by 40 t o 6 5 % . • Introduction of t h e basic mxtrients nitrogen, phosphate, and potasL·, into more than 700,000 lakes a n d ponds t h e nation over to increase their plant growth. This h a s been shov/ri t o boost the weight of fish 4 0 0 % . • A drive to enrich the country's 6 2 0 million acres of pasture land with pres ent-day high analysis mixed fertilizers. Trial has demonstrated t h a t fertilized pasture acres support more animals, make the land ready for grazing much earlier. • How G r e e n the H i g h w a y .
Fer-
New concept in stimulating forest growth is given first trial a t Beemerville, N. J., b y Allied Chemical. F e r -
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Another large scale use for chemical fertilizers. This truck, operated on the New York State Thru way, and using a specially designed gun, allows rapid fertiliza tion of turf and shrubbery. It is smart 'landscaping" because it protects high ways against embankment erosion and damage • Aerial Application. Allied's devel opment of forestry fertilization is backed by much research and experi ence, here as well as in Germany. Early in September their Nitrogen Di vision stepped on the starter and put the dream into action with the help of Rutgers* forestry department over an 11-acre stand of red pine at Beemerville, N. J. Through aerial application a 12-12-12 mixed fertilizer (nitrogenphosphate-potash) was applied to the dense growth at the rate of 400 pounds per acre. The trees are 28 years old. Their roots are in a low fertility soil, and hence are "slow growers." On the basis of previous experience the pines should now grow at a more accelerated rate. The concept is new in the United States, an old idea in Europe which has had a forest and lumber shortage for many years. The fertilizer cloud in the Allied experiments settles to the forest floor where its nutrients soak in to feed the tree. Farmers with only a few acres can spread the fertilizer with a common 25-pound water bucket. The "crop duster" plane, of course, is
stand in cooperation with Rutgers, part of a plan to expand uses for ammonia
the most efficient and the fertilizing cost is not more than one to two cents per pound. • Pulpwood Farmer. Allied's hope is that the woodland owner will try the idea by hand to several trees this fall and watch results for just one growing season. He is evidently t h e first target in forest fertilization. There are 30,000 small pulpwood farmers in. the country with ready markets, and long-term de mand for their output is seen in the pulp and paper industry's §40O million expansion program. The estimate that nitrogen can in crease tree growth by 40 to» 65 % comes from researchers at Washington State College. Allied started i n 1951 by sponsoring studies in North Carolina. Additional work is now under way in New York, Ohio, Indiana, and Georgia. Allied has an eye on the soil bank pro gram and its tree planting provisions which may require 7 million acres in trees of the 25 million acres s e t aside for the conservation reserve. • Lake Fertilization. There are more than 700,000 lakes and ponds in the United States offering am outlet for fertilizers, according to t h e Allied Ni trogen Division researclxers. The N-P-K mixture is used by plants on the lake bottom and give the fish more to feed upon. High fertility therefore in creases fish production important to many farmers, prevents growth of water weeds, and increases the oxygen content of the water. It is figured that the average pond requires from 800 to 1200 pounds of fertilizer per year, according to the De partment of Agriculture. For rJbis ap plication the department recommends the use of 8-8-2 fertilizer, and even a strong mixture such as 10-10-5 or 1212-4. The work should b e conducted in the spring to take advantage of the algae's growing season. Pasture land in the nation crying for protection and cultivation i s equal to
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CHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING Advertising
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Management
REINKOLD rUSLiSHihti DORP. 430 PARK A V E .
OCT.
8,
N E W Y O R K 22, N . V.
1956
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IMMEDIATE OPENINGS WITH
M E R C Κ & CO., I N C . PIOIVEER IN
J
MEDÏCÏNA.L C H E M I S T R Y
/
COMPANY BACKGROUND: Merck name has been associated with pharmacy since 1668. Merger with Stiarp -& Dohme strengthens position of leadership in research and production of medicinal and fine chemicals. Has developed important chemical substances, including streptomycin, cortisone, vitamin B12 cathomycin. Operates 5 plants. PERSONNEL POLICIES: Heavy emphasis on recognition of individual and his development. Engineers work in small groups or alone, associated with highly competent experienced colleagues^ Growth industry and aggressive management assure expanding personnel requirements and opportunity for advancement.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
— Applications are invited from BS and MS Chemical Engineers with from 0 to 8 years of experience. OPPORTUNITIES: PRODUCTION Technical Supervision—responsibility for one or more phases of multistep organic process. Technical Staff—"Process Development" in conjunction with yield and quality studies. ENGINEERING Project Engineering—process design and economic evaluation relating to process installations and modifications. PROCESS DEVELOPMENT Research Engineering—development, of process improvements.
ORGANIC CHEMISTS — Applications are invited
from PhD organic chemists with from 0 to 5 years laboratory-research experience. OPPORTUNITIES: PROCESS DEVELOPMENT Laboratory Research—independent laboratory research directed toward development o f existing or new processes.
SPECIALISTS
ENGINEERING
Project Engineers—Installation and Construction. Education: BS degree in Mechanical, Chemical or Civil Engineering. Experience: Minimum of 6 years industrial experience, 3 of which should be in handling installation and construction assignments in the chemical industry. Position involves the preparation of estimates on building and chemical process installations, the writing of specifications, and the supervision of* field construction work. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION ENGINEER Education: BS degree in Chemical o r Electrical' Engineering. Experience: 8-15 years industrial experience with a minimum of 5 years involved in the direction of instrumentation activities connected with the automation of multi-step organic processes. FOR INTERVIEW, send resume o f education and experience to— MERCK & CO., ITSC. * C h e m i c a l D i v i s i o n Placement and College Relations, Rahway, New Jersey ATTENTION: Mr. j . B. Whitla, Box CN-10
about four large states in size. Trials have shown, according to Allied, that t h e use of 3 0 0 to 4 0 0 pounds of fertiliz e r per acre can raise the stock-carryi n g capacity of the pasture. It will also render the pasture ready for grazing six to eight weeks earlier. Not niueh use of fertilizer has been made for pasture, although in San Mateo County of California it was demonstrated recently that a fertilized range netted $43 an acre against $18 per acre on nonfertilized land. Allied i s conducting strong promotion for this purpose in the West and Midwest. "We are merely looldng for every practical way of selling more nitrogen,%> say Allied's Nitrogen Division men. The division manufactures and sells nitrogen in various forms to fertilizer mixers, and is not overlooking any opportunity to expand its customers' business.
Nonfarm Pesticide Demands Up These and export markets account for about 4 0 % of production; European competition grows keener JbxpoRTS of an industrial or agricultural chemical amounting to 10 or 12% of production is considered good in the chemical industry. Export shipments for many items are much less than this, an exception being such basic materials as sulfur and phosphate rock, rosin or turpentine, which traditionally have enjoyed large export markets. Shipments of American-made pesticide materials to foreign buyers are greater on a percentage of total domestic production basis than most chemical products. F. W. Hatch of Shell Chemical indicated at the recent meeting
of t h e
AMERICAN
(Continued 4938
C & E N OCT. 8,
1956
CHEMICAL
SO-
CIETY that the figure w a s about 2 0 % of all pesticides produced. Therefore, it should be apparent, Mr. Hatch stated before the Society's Marketing Division, that chemicalization of agriculture is not confined to the U. S. I t was figured that s o m e 3 0 to 3 5 % of the exported insecticides may be directly accounted for in the world health program, financed b y various international and national agencies. For example, domestic manufacturers*in 1955 exported about 42%? of total United States D D T production, a l a r g e ^ portion of it destined for use in the* foreign assistance health programs. on page
4961)
