354 HANDY-BOOK OF HUSBANDRY. 



roots per acre, there will be 99*636 lbs., or in round numbers lOO 

 lbs., of nitrogen in the clover-roots from i acre ; or about twice 

 as much nitrogen as is present in the average produce of an acre 

 of wheat. 



" The soil which had been separated from the roots was passed 

 through a sieve to deprive it of any stones it might contain. It 

 was then partially dried, and the nitrogen in it determined in the 

 usual manner by combustion with soda-lime, when it yielded '313 

 per cent, of nitrogen, equal to '38 of ammonia, in one combus- 

 tion ; and '373 per cent, of nitrogen, equal to -46 of ammonia, in 

 a second determination. 



" That the reader may have some idea of the character of this 

 soil, it may be stated that it was further submitted to a general 

 analysis, according to which it was found to have the following 

 composition : — 



" Genera/ composition oy Soil N'o. I, {gooci clover.) 



Moisture 1873 



♦Organic matter 9'7^ 



Oxides of iron and alumina 1 3 24 



Carbonate of lime 8iJz 



Magnesia, alkalies, etc r 72 



Insoluble siliceous matter (chiefly clay) 47 77 



1 00 00 



• Containing nitrogen -jij 



Equal 



*' The second square yard from the brow of the hill where the 

 clover was bad, produced 13 ounces of air-dry and partially clean 

 roots, or 1-75 tons per acre. On analysis they were found to 

 have the following composition : — 



" Clover-roots No. 2, [bad clover.) 



Water 55732 



♦Organic matter 39"4o8 



Mineral matter (ash) 4-860 



lOO'OOO 



* Containing nitrogen 792 



Equal to ammonia -901 



" The roots on the spot where the clover was very bad yielded 

 only 31 lbs. of nitrogen per acre, or scarcely one-third of the 

 quantity which was obtained from the roots where the clover was 

 good. 



