AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 



169 



387. Inorganic constituents of Rye Grass (Lolium Peren- 

 ne,) Stem, (A,) and seed (B,) (Thompson,) and Italian Ryo 

 Grass (L. italicum,) in flower, (C,) and in seed (D.) ( Way.) 



Thompson observes &quot; There is no doubt that these numbers 

 undergo very considerable modifications on different soils.&quot; The 

 seed tends to remove a larger portion of phosphoric acid from 

 the soil than the stem ; the quantity of acid found in the seed 

 exceeding that in the stem by one-fourth. The same remark 

 applies to the lime. The quantity of alkalies is twice as great 

 in the stem as in the seed, while the total ash of the seed is a 

 sixth part superior in amount to that of the stem. 



388. According to Boussingault, 10,000 parts good meadow 

 hay (species not mentioned) contain 547 parts of inorganic mat 

 ter, consisting of : 



Potash, 130 



Soda, - 10 



Lime, 107 



Magnesia, - - 43 



Oxide of iron, - 5 



*Chloride of Sodium. The amount of this is remarkable, and may be the reason 

 rhy cattle are so fond of this grass. 



