270 Dr. A. Voelcker on the Cvmposition of 



No. III. Ash of specimens grown in Mr. Lawson's nursery, 

 near Edinburgh, upon sandy soil : — 



100-57 100-00 



Several observations are suggested by the inspection of the 

 above analytical results : — 



1. The proportion of alkaline chlorides, as well as that of 

 silica in all three ashes, is considerable. 



2. The quantity of soda is more abundant in the ash of spe- 

 cimens grown near the sea-shore, whilst potash prevails in the 

 ash of plants grown on the solid rock near the sea shore. 



3. Soda is entirely replaced by potash in the ash of Armeria 

 grown in the nursery. 



4. The quantity of phosphoric acid in No. III. is considerable 

 when compared with that in No. I. and No. II. 



5. The proportion of magnesia in the ashes of Armeria mari- 

 tiina in its natural state is larger than in the ash of specimens 

 grown in the nursery. 



I must observe, that the character of the specimens grown in 

 the nursery was somewhat altered. The plants appeared a great 

 deal more vigorous, their leaves were brighter green and broader 

 than those of the wild-growing plants, and the specimens on the 

 whole had lost much of the rigidity of the plants in their natural 

 state. 



The above analytical results are well calculated to throw light 

 on the causes which contribute to chain this plant to a particular 

 well-defined geological formation. 



We are informed by Prof. Schleiden, in his beautiful work 

 ' Biography of a Plant,' that the Armeria maritima grows every- 

 where upon the arid sand-dunes on the noi-thern coasts of Ger- 

 many, and is universally distributed over the sandy plains of 

 northern Germany, but that it is not met with on the granite. 



