J62 HOW CROPS GROW. 



Magpie. Forty-fold. 



70.0 62 I 



2 5 



5.0 3.3 



2.1 3.5 

 14.4 20.7 



7.5 7.9 



d. The soil, or the supplies of food, manures included, 

 have the greatest influence in varying the proportions of 

 the ash-ingredients of the plant. It is to a considerable 

 degree the character of the soil which determines the 

 vigor of the plant and the relative development of its 

 parts. This condition then, to a certain extent, includes 

 those already noticed. 



It is well known that oats have a great range of weight 

 per bushel, being nearly twice as heavy when grown on 

 rich land, as when gathered from a sandy, inferior soil 

 According to the agricultural statistics of Scotland, for the 

 year 1857, (Trans. Highland and Ag. }Soc., 1857 9,jt?. 

 213,) the bushel of oats produced in some districts weigh 

 ed 44 pounds per bushel, while in other districts it was as 

 low as 35 pounds, and in one instance but 24 pounds per 

 bushel Light oats have a thick and bulky husk, and an 

 ash-analysis gives a result quite unlike that of good oats. 

 Herapath, (Jour. Hoy. Ag. Society, XL, p. 107,) has pub 

 lished analyses of light oats from sandy soil, the yield be 

 ing six bushels per acre, and of heavy oats from the same 

 soil, after &quot; warping,&quot;* where the produce was 64 bushels 

 per acre. Some of his results, per cent, are as follows : 



Light oats. Ifeavy oats. 



Potash 9.8 13.1 



Soda 4.6 7.2 



Lime 6.8 4.2 



Phosphoric acid... 9.7 17.6 



Silica 50. 5 45.6 



Wolff, (Jour, far Pralct. Chem., 52, p. 103,) has anal- 



Thickly coverii g with sediment from muddy tide-water. 



