Ashes of the Flax Plant. 107 



Potash 25-790 



Soda -4.29 



Lime 19-098 



Magnesia 3-648 



Peroxide of iron , . ♦ . 2*281 



Alumina none 



Oxide of manganese . . . none 



Sulphuric acid 12-091 



Phosphoric acid 10-983 



Carbonic acid 9-895 



Chloride of sodium . . . 12*751 



Silica 3-030 



99-996 

 Loss -004 



100-000 



H. The flax grown upon the Dutch soil yielded, on ana- 

 lysis, roOO per cent, of nitrogen, when dried at 2 12° Fahren- 

 heit. 



It also gave, by incineration, 5*151 per cent, of ashes, of 

 which the composition per cent, was found to be as follows :— 



Potash ........ 18-410 



Soda 10-912 



Lime 18-374 



Magnesia ....... 3-023 



Peroxide of iron .... 2-360 



Alumina . 1-439 



Oxide of manganese . . . none 

 Sulphuric acid . . . . . 9-676 

 Phosphoric acid .... 11 -058 



Carbonic acid 13-750 



Chloride of sodium . . . 5*655 

 Silica 5*327 



99*984 

 Loss *016 



100*000 



If we examine somewhat in detail the results of the ash 

 analyses above given, there will be found several points worthy 

 of attention, in reference to the probable laws of replacement 

 of acids and bases, as mineral constituents of plants ; and also 

 with regard to the necessary presence of certain materials. 



It will be seen that in all cases a large proportion of the 

 bases of the ash had been combined with organic acids, and 

 were hence found in the ash as carbonates. This quantity is, 



