161 
The Table gives first the moisture found in each sample in 
its fresh state as it was taken from the ground. The rest of the 
constituents are calculated on the dry, moisture-free Rhizomes. 
The average composition of the ten ‘A’’ samples and of the 
ten “B” samples is given. The great difference between the 
two sets of samples is in the Nitrogen, and, consequently, in the 
Albuminoids, 
In the ten “B” samples the average Nitrogen is 0-62 per 
cent., or calculated in the dry matter 2-12 per cent., while in 
the ten “ A ” samples the Nitrogen is 0-19 per cent., or, calculated 
in the dry matter, 0-66 per cent. The Nitrogen, therefore, in 
the “B” samples is more than three times as great as in the 
“A” samples. The difference, too, is found in every individual 
pair of samples, though in the samples taken in September the 
one is only about twice as great as the other, while in the 
samples taken in November and February the difference between 
them is nearly as 8 to 1. 
During the first few months of sampling, the variations in 
both sets of samples were very much what was expected. 
With the development of the fronds, the store of Nitrogen in 
the Rhizomes diminished seriously, and the percentage in both 
“A” and “B” reached a minimum in July, when the frond 
reached its maximum development. After that, the Nitrogen 
increased again and soon reached a maximum. Having developed 
its frond, the plant appears to build up again quickly its store of 
nitrogenous material in the Rhizomes. This has a bearing on 
the important economic problem of the best time to cut bracken, 
when it is desired to rid land of it. The nitrogen content of the 
Rhizome appears to be at its lowest just when the frond is fully 
developed, and if cut then, the Rhizome will be left with very 
limited supplies of nitrogenous materials. 
In both “A” and ‘“B” the new maximum percentage of 
Nitrogen in the dry matter is reached in August. After that, 
the percentage in the “B” samples falls a little, but remains 
as nearly constant throughout the late autumn and winter as 
could be expected in a number of different samples such as 
these. The small diminution of the percentage of Nitrogen in 
thé late summer might easily be accounted for by the increase 
in Carbohydrates due to the Carbohydrate deposition at that 
time being proportionately greater than that of nitrogenous 
material. But it is more difficult to account for the great falling 
off in the nitrogen percentage in the “‘ A” samples. In February 
the percentage is exactly the same as the minimum in July, and 
in October and November it is very little greater, but there is 
this noticeable difference, that whereas in July the Nitrogen 
was all Protein Nitrogen, in all the other months there is a very 
appreciable proportion of non-protein Nitrogen present. 
A somewhat similar phenomenon is to be noted in the “ B” 
samples in which the non-protein Nitrogen is much lower in 
July than at any other period of the year. The percentage of 
Nitrogen in the “A” samples varies widely from month to 
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