ANALYSIS AND COMPOSITION OF CORN. 



49 



Table No. 12. 



SODA IN CORN. 



" In the whole plant 0.475 grammes, of which two-thirds accumulated 

 in the corn and one-sixth in the ears. 



LIME IN CORN. 



" Lime has been considered necessary to plant-growth from a very 

 ancient period : more than four-fifths are found in the leaves, only two 

 per cent in the ear, and the quantity increases in descending the stalk. 



MAGNESIA IN CORN. 



"The role of magnesia in vegetation has been but little studied. 

 There is no doubt, however, after the experiments made in Germany, 

 that its presence is indispensable to plants. Two-thirds of it is found 

 in the leaves, and the remainder equally divided in the other five parts 

 of the plant. 



IRON IN MAIZE. 



" Iron is evidently of great importance to the life of animals who are 

 nourished by vegetation. As with sulphur, chlorine, soda, lime, and 

 magnesia, the greatest accumulation is in the leaves. But it is a notice- 

 able fact that it is absent from the ear, which would seem to explain the 

 opinion of physicians as to the insufficiency of corn-meal for exclusive 

 human food. 



" As to corn harvested green in order to be fed to cattle after Ensi- 

 lage, the lack of it in the ear is equalized by its presence in other parts 

 of the plant. 



