168 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHEMICAL DEPARTMENT. 



promise of a fine crop ; but, dming the autumn, the weather in 

 Ayrshire proved most unfavourable to the bean, and it was not 

 till the beginning of November that the produce was harvested, 

 and it was then found to be under the average in quantity, and 

 very inferior in quality. 



As soon as the plants had attained a sufficient height to 

 admit of its being done conveniently, the number growing on a 

 fraction of an acre was carefully counted, and was found to 

 amount to 100,125 per acre. As this differs very little from 

 100,000, this round number was assumed as the actual produce, 

 as it involved no appreciable error, and greatly facilitated the 

 calculations, which are tedious and troublesome. 



On the first of each month, commencing in June, a number 

 of the plants were carefully pulled up, the soil shaken from their 

 roots, and at once packed in a large tin box, with close-fitting 

 lid, made expressly for containing them, and in v hich they could 

 be conveyed to the laboratory without risk of losing moisture, a 

 precaution which was very necessary, as, in conse( uence of their 

 being conveyed some distance by railway, nearly i4 hours gene- 

 rally elapsed before they came into my hands. The arrange- 

 ment was perfectly successful ; in fact, the dew sti ' lay on the 

 leaves when the samples reached me. As soon a', they were 

 received, the plants were carefully separated, and wibed with a 

 soft cloth. One hundred average plants were then taken and 

 divided into their separate parts. The roots were separated, 

 washed, and dried, so as to remove as thoroughly as possible 

 the soil which adhered to them ; the leaves, stems, ai d other 

 parts were then weighed, and small portions carefully telected, 

 so as to give a fair average of the whole, were weighed out and 

 set to dry, at 212 3 , in the water bath, for the per cent age of 

 moisture. The remainder was spread out on a net placed in a 

 moderately warm place, with free access of air, and when suffi- 

 ciently dry, was burned in a platinum basin, to obtain the Urge 

 quantity of ash required for its complete analysis. The residue, 

 dried at 212°, was used for the estimation of nitrogen and the 

 per centage of ash. All these determinations were made in trie 

 usual manner, and do not call for any particular notice. 



1st Stage, 1st June, 1864. 



At this period the plants had attained an average length, 

 including roots, of about 10 inches. The stem was soft, and 

 from 4 to 6 leaves, with small buds at the upper part, had been 

 produced. The seed bean still adhered to the roots, but had 

 shrivelled up ; and, in some cases, little more than the outer 

 skin remained. They were, however, separated and weighed. 

 One hundred plants gave the following weights in grains : — 





