SULPHUR CONTAINED IN CEOPS. 



103 



of our cultivated crops, (Royal Ag. Jour., ix., p. 136,) and 

 another series has been published by Mr Sorby in the proceed- 

 ings of the Chemical Society. The following table exhibits 

 some of their results : 



A thousand pounds of the different plants, dried perfectly at 

 212 F., contam- 



In a thousand. 

 Sorby. 



0-9 

 4-0 

 0-9 

 4-3 

 7'5 



Four species of grass, 



Rye-grass, 



Ked clover, 



White clover, . 



Sainfoin, 



Lucerne, 



Beans, 



Peas, 



I do not quote more of these results, as I believe further 

 experiments will show the numbers obtained by these experi- 

 menters to be all below the truth. I have caused two com- 

 bustions to be made of parsnips and cabbage in my own labora- 

 tory, with the following results as to the percentage of sulphur 

 in the dried substance : 



Common parsnip, 

 Cabbage, (great York,) 

 (sugar loaf,) 



Per cent. 



0-999 



1-58 



1-13 



These results, which are considerably higher than those of 

 Sorby and Mr Way, give, for the quantity of sulphur carried 

 off the soil by a crop of 20 tons of cabbage, and of 8 tons of 

 parsnip roots, respectively 



Cabbage, (20 tons,) 

 Parsnips, (8 tons,) 



45 pounds. 

 20 pounds. 



As all this sulphur is believed to be drawn by plants from 

 the soil only, there is an apparent reason, therefore indepen- 

 dent of other kinds of action they may be supposed to exercise 

 why substances containing sulphur in a state in which it can 

 safely enter into the roots of plants should, in certain circum- 

 stances, be useful in promoting vegetation. 



