378 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



LITHIA IN THE SOIL OF AUYEEGNE. 



The rarity of lithia in rocks and in mineral waters is well 

 known, as also the supposed part which it plays as a reme- 

 dial awent in the medicinal qualities of the latter. The re- 

 cent announcement that Truchot has found this in large 

 quantity in the soil of Limagne, and in the mineral waters 

 of Auvergne, has elicited considerable interest. Indeed, so 

 large is the percentage in the first-mentioned district that an 

 amount varying from 31 to 131 milligrammes of the car- 

 bonate of lithia have been found in 100 grammes of earth. 

 A small quantity of this earth moistened with hydrochloric 

 acid gives distinctly, and without any preparation, the char- 

 acteristic red ray when examined spectroscopically. The 

 same soil, which is remarkable for its fertility, is also rich in 

 alkalies, containing in 100 grammes five or six tenths of one 

 per cent, of potash. 



In the course of some experiments upon certain ashes of 

 three different plants found in the vicinity of Lille, Grandeau 

 found that the ashes of colza exhibited indications of sodium 

 and potassium, but not of lithium nor of rubidium ; that the 

 beet assimilated the potassium, the sodium, and rubidium ; 

 while tobacco accepts potassium and rubidium, with little or 

 no sodium. In Limagne, however, both the colza and the 

 beet take up a small quantity of lithium, 100 grammes of the 

 ashes of each containing about 10 milligrammes of its chlo- 

 ride, while 100 grammes of tobacco ash gave 440 milli- 

 grammes. 



In reference to the mineral waters of Auvero-ne, Truchot 

 finds that those of Royat contain 35 milligrammes of chloride 

 of lithium in each liter of water. But he has- not yet posi- 

 tively determined the presence of caesium and rubidium, 

 which are usually associated with those substances. 



EXPERIMENTS UPON THE NUTRITIVE VALUE OF CLOVER HAY 

 HARVESTED AT DIFFERENT PERIODS OF GROWTH. 



The question as to what is the proper time to mow grass 

 and clover, in order to secure hay of the highest nutritive 

 value, is one of great practical importance. It is well known 

 that when the crop is cut a little before the time of blossom, 

 a smaller amount of hay is obtained than when it is allowed 



