THE ASH OF PLANTS. 15? 
The composition of the ash of a number of ordinary 
crops is concisely exhibited in the subjoined general 
statement, 
Altealies, ©EG- Lame Phosphor- gorrg Sul, re ed 
nesta. * te Acid, 
CEREALS— 
Grain *,... 30 12 3 46 2 2.5 1 
Straw...... 13—27 3 q 5 50—70 2.5 2 
LraumMEs— 
Kernel ... 44 ¥ 5 85 1 4 g 
Straw...... 2741 q 25—39 8 5 2-6 6—? 
Root Crops— 
Roots... . 60 3-9 6-12 8-18 14 5—12 3-9 
MODSiecess 37 3-16 10-3 3-8 3 6—13 5-17 
GRaAssEs— 
In flower.. 33 4 8 8 35 4 5 
3. Different parts of any plant usually exhibit decided 
differences in the composition of their ash. This fact is 
made evident by a comparison of the figures of the table 
above, and is more fully illustrated by the following anal- 
yses of the parts of the mature oat-plant, by Arendt, 1 to 6, 
(Die Haferpflanze, p. 107,) and Norton, 7 to 9, (Am. Jour. 
Sci., 2 Ser. 3, 318.) 
a 3 4 
Lower Mi date Upper Lower Upper ie Chat Husk. Kernel 
. f ae. a Stem. an . Leaves, husked. 
PRS er ctalpe acters ens « 81.2 8.e 55.9 36 24.8 13.0 
a Ge hi Aap 0:9". “0:4 Oot + 10.6 12.4 31.7 
Magnesia male ialetaiiexsiss7 2.1 3.6 3.9 3.8 3.9 8.9 ] 2.3 8.6 
ESO ics Sec we era. 5.3 So. 16.7% * PR %.3 11.2 4.3 5.3 
Oxide of Iron. tO. 0.0," 0:2. °2.% 0.5 ne) 0.8 > os 
Phosphoric acid Oe aa OO a Leon 286.0 0.6 49.1 
Sul huricacid eOlO.,.- wea | est 3.25) ON.6 14:9) 58, 1453 1/056 
PENI oi aia cig sv Aad O53 (24 84.0 4158 26:0 (68:0) Yaet 1.8 
Chlorine......... See ie me bi tire 1.4 1.6 2.4 3.8 Sk a 0.2 
The results of Arendt and Norton are not in all respects strictly com- 
parable, having been obtained by different methods, but serve well to 
establish the fact in question. 
We see from the above figures that the ash of the lower 
stem consists chiefly of potash, (81 °|,.) This alkali is pre- 
dominant throughout the stem, but in the upper parts, 
where the stem is not covered by the leaf sheaths, silica 
and lime occur in large quantity. In the ash pf the leaves, 
* Exclusive oi husk. 
