372 



STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



plants that are raised by the farmers of our State ; a few of the more 

 important ones, which 'are at the same time typical, must suffice to illus- 

 trate the principle, which, once understood and appreciated, could be 

 amplified and applied by every agriculturist. 



Many analyses have been made of the ash of plants by this and 

 other experiment stations, which furnish the data upon which the fol- 

 lowing calculations and deductions rest ; they are given, for more ready 

 comprehension, in the form of tables, which deserve close inspection 

 and intelligent interpretation : 



Table I : 



One hundred pounds dry weight (water free) contain the follow- 

 ing amount in pounds of plant-food : 



Wheat, kernels : 



Potash 0.63 



Phosphoric acid 1 05 



Nitrogen 2.05 



Wheat, straw : 



Potash 0.69 



Phosphoric acid 0.28 



Nitrogen 0.61 



Oats, kernels : 



Potash 0.34 



Phosphoric acid . 85 



Nitrogen 2.11 



Oats, straw : 



Potabh 1.12 



Phosphoric acid 0.28 



Nitrogen. 0.70 



Corn, kernels : 



Potash 0.64 



Phosphoric acid 0.81 



Nitrogen 1.82 



Corn , cobs and shucks : 



Potash 0.71 



Phosphoric acid 0.04 



Nitrogen 0.49 



Corn , stover : 



Potash 1.34 



Phosphoric acid 0.03 



Nitrogen 0.92 



Timothy : 



Potash 1.41 



Phosphoric acid 0.85 



Nitrogen 1.31 



Red Clover: 



Potash 2.31 



Phosphoric acid . 62 



Nitrogen 2.52 



Alfalfa : 



Potash 2.35 



Phosphoric acid . 0.75 



Nitrogen 2.74 



Potatoes : 



Potash 2.70 



Phosphoric acid 0.90 



Nitrogen 1.62 



Carrots : 



Potash 3.08 



Phosphoric acid 1 . 06 



N itrogen 1 . 62 



Cabbage : 



Potash , 5.18 



Phosphoric acid 2.96 



Nitrogen 4.02 



Cucumbers : 



Potash 5.75 



Phosphoric acid 3. 25 



Nitrogen 3.25 



The foregoing table, as the basis, served for the computation of 

 the next; in it the 14 plants or parts of plants were assumed to be in 

 the ordinary condition of merchantable material : that is, material 

 which holds a certain and well-known amount of moisture in its com- 

 bination. This amount in the case of grain and straw, including all 

 kinds of fairly air-dry hay, was taken to be 10 pounds in 100, and in 

 potatoes, cabbage, carrots and cucumbers as sold in open markets, as 



