54 



INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS. 



of the water which they contain. The quantities of ashes, there- 

 fore, mentioned by M. de Saussure, if they be referred to vegetables 

 absolutely dry, are somewhat too small. 



I present a few estimates of ashes from analyses which I have had 

 occasion to make of some of those plants which are the usual sub- 

 jects of cultivation with us. The drying here was always performed 

 with care in an oil-bath heated to 110° cent. (230° Fahr.)* 



Substance dried at SSO" Fahr. 



Aihei. 



Subilance dried at 830" Fahr. 



Ashe*. 



Wheat Straw 0.070 



Wheat 0.0-24 



Rye straw 0,036 



Rye 0.O23 



Out straw 0.0.31 



Oats 0.040 



Potatoes 0.040 



Beet-root 0,0G3 



Turnip 0,076 



Jerusalem artichoke 0,060 



Stems of ditto 0.028 



White i)eas 0.031 



Pea straw 0,113 



Clover hay 0,077 



MeaiL.w hay 0.0(H) 



After gniss (meadow) 0,100 



We owe to M. Berthierf the following results of the incineration 

 of different kinds of wood burned in the state in which they are gen- 

 erally used. 



Kind of wood. Ashes. 



Fir 0.0083 



Birch 0.0100 



False ebony O.Olii 



Hazel O.OI.I- 



White mullM-rry 0.0H50 



S.iiiit Lucia wood 0,01 GO 



Elder O.OKVI 



Judea-tree 0,0170 



Oak (branches) 0.(HM 



Oak bark O.lMiOO 



Lime-tree O.OoOO 



Kind of wood. Ashes. 



Poplar bark 0.0020 



B.).\w»mm1 0.0036 



Oik barked, ash. pine, birch, &c. 0,0040 



Thorn O.OOiO 



Aspinlne 0,0060 



Oak bark 0.0120 



Black wiKMl 0.0149 



Mahocany OOK-O 



Ebony O.(nr.0' 



Oak (fajjot) 0,0-220 



Fearns 0,0430 



We possess several analyses of ashes from diflTorent parts of the 

 same plants in the researches of M.M. de Saussure and Berlhicr. 

 As the knowledge of these saline substances may prove highly im- 

 portant in our agricultural applications, and as it further completes, 

 in some sort, the facts that l)car iip<m the chemical phenomena of 

 vegetation, 1 here add a table of the results obtained by the skilful 

 analysts just quoted : 



• .\nn.dc Chimic. t. i. page 234. 3c. s*rie. 

 t Trait* des Essais, t. i, page 239 



