202 Composition of Orange Glole Mangolds, Bulbs and Tops. 



The object I had in view in making the analyses was to 

 ascertain the average composition of mangolds grown on heavy 

 soils and in a bad season, and to determine more especially 

 whether the application of salt in different quantities had any 

 effect on the percentage of sugar. A fair average size mangold 

 was selected for analysis from each plot, and the weight of bulbs 

 and tops found to be as follows : — 



Plot. 



In the tops I only determined the proportions of water, mineral 

 matter, nitrogenous compounds, and chloride of sodium in the 

 ash, &c. In the bulbs, the amount of water, sugar, fibre, and 

 pectlnous compounds (crude fdjie), soluble and insoluble albu- 

 minous compounds, and soluble and insoluble mineral substances, 

 was determined in the following manner : — 



1. Determination of Water. — A whole root was divided longi- 

 tudinally into two halves. One-half was cut into thin slices, 

 and 2000 grains of these were dried, first in the air, subsequently 

 at a gradual increased temperature, and finally in the water-bath 

 at 212° Fahr., until the substance ceased to lose weight. 



The loss in weight represents the amount of water in 2000 

 parts. 



2. Determination of Ash. — The dried sliced root was next 

 reduced to a coarse powder, which was well mixed and again 

 dried in the water-bath. A weighed portion of the dried and 

 powdered root was burnt to ashes in a platinum capsule at a very 

 moderate heat. 



3. Determination of Albnminovs (Fleshforming) Matter. — 

 Another portion of the dried root was reduced into an impalp- 

 able powder, of which from 18-20 grains were weighed out for 

 a nitrogen combustion with soda-lime, according to the well- 

 known method of Will and Varentrepp, 



Since albuminous or flesh-forming compounds contain on an 

 average 16 per cent, of nitrogen, their amount is arrived at if we 

 multiply by GJ the percentage of nitrogen found in the analysis, 

 provided all the nitrogen found in the analysis really exists as 

 albumen, casein, gluten, or a similar albuminous compound. 



