I08 SEA BAMBOO AS A SOURCE OF POTASH. 



Water-Soluble Portion : 



Stems. Leaves. 



Lime 76 23 



Mag-nesia 40 .19 



Potash 46.90 26.67 



Soda (calculated) as Na.,0 7.90 17.62 



Carbon dioxide 1-93 3-19 



Sulphuric oxide 2.53 7.81 



Chlorine 40-80 28.87 



Ratio— K2O: Na.O 5.93 i-5i 



It was apparent that the very considerable increase in the 

 amount of soluble salts in the stem could be explained in only 

 two ways : either the larg^er amount of potash was due to the 

 greater maturity of the plant, or the variety growing at Kom- 

 nietje yielded higher figures. To ascertain which of these views 

 was correct, a sample was taken at Clifton-on-Sea from the 

 stem only of a plant about 10 feet in length (exclusive of 

 leaves), the dimensions being, at the thickest portion, 80 mm. 

 in diameter, and walls 13.5 mm. thick, and at the thinnest por- 

 tion 20 mm. in diameter and solid. Five portions of this, about 

 six inches in length, were taken at equal intervals of the whole 

 length of the stem, and in addition the flat portion adjacent to 

 the leaves was taken as a sixth sample. The analysis of these 

 samples gave the following results. 



(N.B. — The first sample contained the " hold- fast," which 

 may account for the low percentage of potash.) 



The figures given above are sufficient to show that it is 

 not only at Kommetje that the plant reaches the condition of 

 higher potash content, but that evidently this increase in amount 

 is due to the greater maturity of the plant. 



The hypothetical combination of the various bases and acid 

 radicles is given in Table VI. 



