THE FARMER'S MAGAZIiNE. 



541 



from nitrogen: 37.82 grains of the basic salt contained 

 0.00341 grains of it, in a stite of ammoniaco magnesian 

 phosphate. The phosphate was always applied to the 

 soil in a gelatinous state, such as it was obtained upon 

 the filter after washing. The bicarbonate of potash had 

 been prepared with carbonate of great purity. The 

 vegetable ashes obtained from the combustion of meadow 

 hay were very rich in white silica, without any traces of 

 cyanure. 



The plants grew in the open air, 40 inches above the 

 turf, near a vine planted on the border of a large forest. 

 The water used to water the plant, free from ammonia, 

 contained about the fourth of its volume of carbonic acid 

 gas. 



The average weight of the pots was . . . . 9,300 grains' 



Burnt clay 6,200 „ 



Quartzy sand 21b3. 1,903 „ 



Total of earthy matter iatervening in each 



experiment . . . . . . . . 41bs. 3.403 „ 



Experiment A. : Vegetation of the Helianthuses in a 

 soil containing nothing else but burnt dag andsand. 



Two seeds of Helianthus, weighing 1.66 grains, were 

 planted on the 5th of July. 



20th August. — The first norm;il leaves were withered. 

 Length. Width. 



Second norma) leaves 7.90 eighths inch. 3.16 eighths ich 

 Third ditto 4,74 „ 0.943 „ 



20th Sept, — The second normal leaves were withered. 

 Length. Width. 



Third normal leaves. . 5.688 eighths in. 1.58 eighths inch. 

 Fourth ditto 2.212 „ 0.948 ,. 



Signs of a blossom bud ; height of the stems 4 and 5 

 inches. 



30th September. — The aspect of the plants had not 

 changed since the 20tli. Tlie bud had burst into a tiny 

 yellow flower, the corolla of which was not more than 

 ^ of an inch in diameter. This miniature flower was sur- 

 rounded with nascent leaves. 



A limit plant was obtained. 



GRAINS. 



The dried-up plants weighed .. .. 6.076 

 Seeds 1.658 



4.418 



Organic matter developed 



It was remarked that the plants had been pretty strong 

 up to the 10th of August. From that lime the older 

 leaves withered, just as new ones appeared; and the 

 vigour of the vegetation gradually declined up to the 

 blooming. 



The analysis showed in the whole of the dried-up 

 plant : — 



Nitrogen 0.0527 



Iq the soil 0.0310 



Total .. .. 0.0837 

 Nitrogen obtained after 3 months' vegeta- 

 tion in the open air .. .. .. 0.0356 



Valuation of the Carbon fixed during vegetation. 

 ' — The matter organized during vegetation weighed 

 4.4175 grains, from analysis made of plants grown in 

 the same condition. It contained at the degree of 

 dryness to which it had been brought 40 of carbon, 

 say 1.767 grains. This carbon, which could h-ive no 

 other origin but carbonic acid, represented 6.479 grains, 

 or 83.345 cubic inches of acid gas. 



As the vegetation lasted 86 days, we may conclude 

 that every 24 hours, on an average, the Helianthuses 

 have assimilated the carbon of 7.742 cubic eighths of 

 an inch of carbonic acid gas. 



Experiment B.: Vegetation of the Helianthnses vndcr 

 the influence of pho:<phate of lime, ashes, and salt- 

 petre. 



The soil was exactly constiUited in weight and nature 

 as in the foregoing experiment. There was introduced 

 into it 



Graiu3. 

 Phosphate of lime .. .. .. 155.00 



Aahes 23.25 



Nitrate of potash successively added .. 21.07 



Containing 



Soluble nitrogen 3.05195 



Potash 10.11375 



On the 5th of July two Helianthus seeds were sown in 

 the soil, suitably moistened, the seeds weighing 1.6585 

 grains. 



On the 20th of August the first normal leaves were 

 withered. 



Length. Width. 



Second normal leaves .. .. 3|^ in. 2\ in. 



Third ditto .. .. 3| 2| 



Fourth ditto .. ,. sf 2| 



Fifth ditto pretty well developed. Diameter of the 



stems 2.528 eighths of an inch. 



September 10. — Height of the plants, 19 and 23 in. ; 

 diameter of the stems, 2.895 eighths of an inch. 



September 20.— Height of theplant8,25 2-8tbsin. and 

 29 2-8thsin.; diameterofthe stems, 3.16 eighths of an in. 

 September 30.— Height of the plants, 64 and 74 cen- 

 timetres; diameter of the stems, 3.16 eightlis of an inch. 

 The larger Helianthus bore a beautiful yellow flower, the 

 corolla of which had a diameter of 3^ inches. Since 

 the 20th of August the leaves had not sensibly changed 

 in their appearance. The largest presented a surface 

 nearly equal to that of a Helianthus Argophylus grown 

 in garden soil. 



Organic matter developed . . . . 328.220 



Analysis made upon 46.5 grains of the matter, indi- 

 cated that the 329.878 grains of dried-up plants must 

 contain :— 



Grains. 



Nitrogen 2.63035 



The two seeds contained 



Nitrogen got in 3 months' vegetation. . 



21.25 grains of nitrate of potash added 



to the soil contained : — Nitrogen . . 



0.01805 



2.58230 

 3 05193 



Differenc3 0.46965 



There was then 0.46965 grains of nitrogen in the 

 soluble manure, which the Helianthus did not free : 

 nitrogen representing 3. 3945 grains of nitrate of potash, 

 of which part was found in the soil ; the other part had 

 formed some carbonate of potash, owing to the action 

 exercised by the organic matter of the roots, an action 

 already recognized by M. Schloesing, and which is ac- 

 counted for by the facts recently published by M. 

 Pelouze. 



The examination of the ashes showed that the plants 

 had taken from the soil 4.1075 grains of phosphatu 

 of lime. 



Carbon fixed duriiig vegetation. — The 328.220 

 grains of organic matter contained 130.8820 grains of 

 carbonic acid. Vegetation having L.sted 80 days, the 

 Helianthuses under the double influence of the saltpetre 

 and phosphate of lime, took every 24 hours, on an 

 average, the carbon of 72 cubic inches of carbonic 

 acid gas. 



