212 [December, 



favor of the publication of the following abstract of the same in the 



proceedings : 



Analysis of the Cotton Plant and Seed. 



By the late Thomas J. Summer, Esq. of South Carolina. Communicated by Dr* 



Charles M. Wetherill. 



In a communication on the analysis of the ash of a cotton stalk by Mr. Judd} 

 in the Proceedings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 

 p. 219, surprise is expressed at the absence of published analyses of the 

 cotton plant, with the exception of one of the wood and another of the seed, 

 by Prof. Shepard. I owe it to the memory of my friend and classmate in 

 Giessen,the late Thomas J. Summer, Esq., to communicate the following analy- 

 tical results arrived at by him while in the Giessen laboratory, and which have 

 not been published, that I am aware of, except in pamphlet form for circulation 

 among his friends : 



Analysis of the Ash of the Cotton Plant. 

 The analysis was carried on in the usual manner 6.181 grammes were di- 

 gested with muriatic acid, and evaporated to dryness by the water bath. After 

 moistening with acid and adding water, the insoluble portion was separated, 

 which consisted of 0-621 sand and coal, and 0-403 silicia. The filtrate was di- 

 vided into three equal parts. In the first, the iron, in combination with phos- 

 phoric acid, lime and magnesia, was determined. In the second, sulphuric and 

 phosphoric acids. In the third, the alkalies. 

 The following are the per centage results : 



6-181 grammes Percentage. 



22.08 



0.97 



17.50 



5-24 



7.18 



13.73 



1.31 



0.59 



6.52 



15.76 



10.04 



100.92 



The Ash of the Seed. 



The seeds were burned in a mufile ; only a slight red heat was necessary to 

 burn them perfectly white. 



For estimating the amount of water 6.406 grammes of seed, dried at 212, 

 lost 0-G4G, or ten per cent, water ; 6.587 of the dried seed left by incineration 

 in a platinum crucible, 0.237, or 3-6 per cent. ash. The qualitative analysis 

 showed the same constituents as in the ash of the plant, with the exception of 

 carbonic acid. The following are the analytical results : 



Percentage. 

 Potassa, ------- 27.82 



Soda, -------- 2.75 



Lime, -------- 10.88 



Magnesia, __--__- 10.61 



Oxide of iron, ------- 3.43 



Phosphoric acid, ------ 35.43 



Sulphuric acid, -__--- 3.19 



Coal, -------- 1.05 



Traces of Silica, ^ _ _ - 4 84 



Loss and Cholorine, 5 



100.00 



