170 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



grms., was sown on June 27th. Manure ashes were added to the soil. On October 12th, the 

 plant bore one pod, containing a single imperfect seed. Result: 



A = 0-0380 grm. 



B = v 0-0349 " 



Gain = 0-0031 " 



Vegetation of Oats three months and a half in the open air. The stalk bore grains. Four 

 grains of oats, weighing 0-151 grm., were sown on May 20, 1852. Manure ashes were added 

 to the soil. On September 1st, the plants had from six to nine leaves, and each of them a 

 lateral shoot. The straws were very straight, find each bore a ripe, well-formed, but very 

 small seed. The five seeds together weighed two centigrms. The dry plants weighed 0-67 

 grm. Result: 



A== 0-0051 grm. 



B = 0-0041 " 



Gain= 0-0010 " 



Vegetation of a dwarf Bean in two and a half months. The plant was watered with water 

 saturated with carbonic acid. The seed weighed 0-655 grm. ; sown May 17, 1853 ; manure 

 ashes added to the soil. On July 9th the plant had seven expanded flowers. On August 

 20th the flowers had produced no fruit. The stalk was 33 centims. in height, and bore 15 

 leaves : the cotyledons and seed-lobes had withered, but still adhered. The plant was strong, 

 and weighed 2-72 grms. Result: 



A = 0-0270 grm. 



B = 0-0293 " 



Loss = 0-0023 " 



Vegetation of two Lupines in two months. The two seeds weighed 0-630 grm. : they were 

 planted June 30, 1854. 2 grms. of washed ashes were added to the soil. On September 5th, 

 each lupine bore eight leaves: the cotyledons were withered: the plants 11 centims. high: 



A = 0-0387 grm. 



B= 0-0367 " 



Gain= 0-0020 " 



Vegetation of Cress in two months. Seeds were produced. The seed weighed 0-50 grm., 

 and was sown on July 15, 1854. The soil had an addition of 0-1 grm. of mixed, and 1 grm. 

 of washed ashes. The water given to it was saturated with carbonic acid. The seed-leaves 

 were evolved on July 24th, and normal leaves appeared on the 30th. On August 6th, the 

 seed-leaves were withered: they were taken off and preserved. The plants began to flower 

 on August 18th. The leaves were very small. The flowering went on from the 18th to the 

 28th of August: the flower-leaves became dry in proportion as the upper ones flourished. 

 On September 15th, each stalk bore a very small seed, although the fruit differed but little in 

 size from that of garden-cress: 



A = 0-0272 grm. 



B = 0-0259 " 



Gain= 0-0013 " 



These last results of the vegetation of plants in the open air show that the quantity of 

 nitrogen which may be absorbed from the atmosphere by plants is not greater than may be 

 accounted for by errors of determination. It certainly appears that a little nitrogen was 

 taken up. In his memoir, the author further refers to the question, whether this nitrogen 

 is derived from the minute organic bodies which float in the air, or from carbonate of 

 ammonia. He observed the formation of green spots, produced by minute green cryp- 

 togamia, on the outside of the flower-pots, which were never seen on those excluded from the 

 air. He also saw those green filaments produced in rain water, which had been collected at 

 the beginning of a shower, and kept in a flask. Bineau has observed that these filaments 

 consume all the ammonia of rain water. The author concludes with some observations on 

 the part played in vegetation by the nitrogenous body pre-existing in the seed, or that formed 

 by the aid of the manure. He describes the vegetation of a plant from seeds which weighed 

 only y'y milligrm., and which must therefore have contained a scarcely ponderable quantity 



