446 



BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. 



MISCELLANEOUS ANALYSES. 



Asparagus. 



stems. 



Moisture at 100° C, 5.53 



Dry matter, 94.47 



Nitrogen in dry matter, 1 98 



Insoluble in acids, .08 



One hundred parts of crude ash contained : — 



stems. 



Potassium oxide, 42.94 



Sodium oxide, 3.58 



Calcium oxide, 27.18 



Magnesium oxide, 12.77 



Phosphoric acid, 12.31 



Sesquioxide of iron, 1.22 



Roots. 

 4.85 

 95.15 

 1.48 

 3.67 



Roots. 



56.43 



5.42 



15.48 



7.57 



15.09 



Not 



determined 



The examination has been carried on at the especial re- 

 quest of several garden formers in the eastern part of the 

 State. The plants serving for the analysis were raised upon 

 the college grounds, upon a light, loamy soil, which pre- 

 viously had been occupied by grasses. 



The comparatively small amount of soda in the ashes of 

 both stems and roots confirms the impression that the bene- 

 ficial influence of common salt on asparagus beds, not un- 

 frequently reported, is due rather to its action on the physi- 

 cal condition of the soil than to its requirement as plant food. 

 The common salt increases the hydroscopic quality of the 

 soil, assists in the diffusion of potassa and phosphoric acid, 

 and rarely supplies deficiencies in the soil, as far as its own 

 constituents are concerned. A judicious application of mu- 

 riate of potash, with sulphate of magnesia (Kieserite) tends 

 to secure available potash throughout the entire body of the 

 soil penetrated by the extensive root mass of the plants. 



