AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AND GEOLOGY. 169 



of nitrogen in the ashes was carefully determined: they contain cyanides. The author found 

 in one gramme of the ashes of 



Meadow hay 5 milligrammes of nitrogen. 



Ears of corn 5-8 " " 



Peas 3-1 



Oats (grain) 7-5 " "■ 



Couch-grass 3-5 " 



The mixed ashes mentioned in the following experiments were those obtained by the com- 

 bustion of the stems and leaves of beans and lupines : 1 grin, of these ashes contained 0-1 

 milligrm. of nitrogen. Besides this, the washed ashes of stable manure were frequently 

 added. The seeds of beans and lupines employed in the experiment contained the following 

 quantities of nitrogen : dwarf beans, 4-475 ; lupines, 5-820 per cent. The experiment lasted 

 two months and a week. A seed weighing 0-337 grins., and consequently containing the 

 amount of nitrogen stated below, was sown on May 12, 1854. The soil consisted of pumice- 

 stone, to which 0-05 grm. of mixed ashes were added. On July 19th, the plant had eleven 

 leaves, and the cotyledons were withered. In this experiment, 37,000 litres of air were 

 passed through the apparatus in which the plant was enclosed. The result of the first 

 experiment was as follows : In this, as in all the other experiments, A represents the amount 

 of nitrogen found in the plant and in the soil at the conclusion of the experiment, and B the 

 nitrogen contained in the seed from which the plant was raised. In this case no nitrogen 

 was taken up by the plant: — ■ 



A = 0-0187 grm. 



B= 0-0196 " 



Loss of nitrogen during growth •= 0-0009 " 



Vegetation of a Bean in two months and ten days. — The seed weighed 0-720 grm. It was 



sown May 14, 1854: 0-01 grm. of mixed, and 5 grms. of washed ashes, were added to the 



soil. On June 22d, the plant had six normal dark-green leaves. The seed-lobes were strong 



and very fleshy ; they had withered on July 2d. The plant began to bloom on July 20th, 



when these leaves had fallen from the stem. On July 25th the plant bore four open flowers, 



twelve fully-developed leaves, of a pale-green color, and three young dark-green leaves : the 



stem was 23 centims. in height. The plant, dried on the water-bath, weighed 2 grms. 



During its growth, 41,500 litres of air had passed through the apparatus. No nitrogen was 



absorbed. 



A = 0-0325 grm. 



B = 00322 " 



Gain in nitrogen = 0-0003 " 



Two Beans vegetated for three months and a week. — The two seeds weighed 1-510 grm. They 

 were sown on May 12th. The soil had added to it 0-3 of mixed, and 3 grms. of washed ashes. 

 On July 17th, the plants had twenty-six leaves and thirteen flowers. On the 25th, there were 

 four small, dark-green pods, and the leaves were very pale. On the 10th of August, two of 

 the pods were fully developed ; they contained three well-formed seeds, nearly as large as 

 those from which the plants were grown; they weighed 7 centigrms. The dried plants 

 weighed 5-15 grms. During the experiment, 55,500 litres of air passed through the appa- 

 ratus. Result: — 



A = 0-0666 grm. 



B = 00676 " 



Loss = 0-0010 " 



In this case, also, there was no absorption of nitrogen. 



In the following experiments, all the preceding arrangements, as regards the soil, the 

 addition of ashes and water, were retained ; but the pots in which the plants were grown 

 were placed so that the wind could not move their leaves, while the plants were sheltered 

 from rain by a glass apparatus. They stood upon a balcony, 10 metres from the ground. 



A Bean vegetated for three and a half months in the open air. — The seed, which weighed 0.78 



