THE ASU OF PLANTS. 





The composition of the ash of a num 

 crops is concisely exhibited in the subjo 

 statement. 



Alkalies. 



Mag- 





Sulphurs 

 Acid. 



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 JETaferpflanze^p. 107,) and Norton, 7 to 9, (Am. Jour. 

 Sci., 2 Ser. 3, 318.) 



Stem. 

 Potash ................ 81.2 



Soda .................. 0.4 



Magnesia ............ 2.1 



123456789 

 Lower Middle Upper Lower Upper Ears. Chaff. Husk. Kernel 



I-ime 



Oxide of Iron ....... 



Phosphoric acid ..... 



Suli huric acid ....... 



Sillei 



3.6 

 1.0 

 2.7 

 0.0 

 4.1 



Chlorine .............. 8.6 



Stem. 



68.3 

 1.5 

 3.6 

 5.3 

 0.0 

 1.4 

 1.3 

 9.3 



11.7 



Stem. Leaves. Leaves. 

 55.9 36.9 -24.8 



0.9 



3.8 

 16.7 



2.7 



1.7 



3.2 

 34.0 



1.6 



1.0 

 3.9 



8.6 

 0.2 

 2.7 

 1.1 

 20.4 

 7.4 



0.4 

 3.9 



17.2 

 0.5 

 1.5 

 7.5 



41.8 

 2.4 



13.0 t-m 



o.i f 10 - 6 



8.9 1 



7.3 L, 2 

 trace f U - S 

 36.5 J 



4.9 5.3 

 26.0 68.0 



3.8 3.1 



husked. 

 12.4 31.7 



2.3 

 4.3 

 0.3 

 0.6 

 4.3 

 74.1 

 1.4 



8.6 

 5.3 

 0.8 

 49.1 

 0.0 

 1.8 

 0.2 



The results of Arendf 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 asb )f the leases, 



* Exclusive o\ huak. 



