08 PRINCIPLES OF GARDENING. [CH. II. 



any of their parts, when subjected to incmeration. 

 Thus Saussui'e observes that the phosphate of 

 lime is universally present in plants^. The sap 

 of all trees contains acetate of potash ; Beet-root 

 contains malate and oxalate of potash, ammonia 

 and lime ; Rhubarb, oxalate of potash and lime ; 

 Horse-radish, sulphur ; Asparagus, super-malates, 

 chlorides, acetates, and phosphates of potash and 

 lime ; Potatoes, magnesia, citrates and phosphates 

 of potash and lime ; Jerusalem Artichoke, citrate, 

 malate, sulphate, chloride, and phosphate of pot- 

 ash ; Garlic, sulphate of potash, magnesia, and 

 phosphate of lime ; Geraniums, tartrate of lime, 

 phosphates of lime, and magnesia ; Peas, phosphate 

 of lime ; Kidney beans, phosphate of lime and pot- 

 ash ; Oranges, carbonate, sulphate, and muriate of 

 potash ; Apples and Pears , malate of potash ; Grapes, 

 tartrate of lime ; Capsicums, citrate, mmiate, and 

 phosphate of potash ; Oak, carbonate of potash ; and 

 the Lilac, nitrate of potash. Let no one fancy that 

 the salts are a very trivial proportion of the fabric of 

 plants. In the Capsicum, they constitute one-tenth 

 of its fruit ; of carrot juice, one-hundredth ; of 

 Elmbarb, one-eleventh ; of Potatoes, one-twentieth ; 

 whilst of the seed of the Lithospennum officinale, 

 they actually form more than one-half: their con- 

 stituents being as follows. 



=* Sur la Veget. c. 8. s. 4. 



