216 HOW CROPS GROW. 



but depends upon the stores of food accessible to the plant 

 and the favorableness of the weatHer to growth. 



The following figures, which exhibit for each period of 

 both crops a comparison of the gain in albuminoids with 

 the increase of the other organic matters, further demon- 

 strate that in the act of organization, the nitrogenous prin- 

 ciples have no close quantitative relations to the non-ni- 

 trogenous bodies, (amyloids and fats.) 



The quantities of albuminoids gained during each period 

 being represented by 10, the amounts of amyloids, etc., 

 are seen from the subjoined ratios : 



PERIODS. 



Ratio in 

 I. II & III. IV. V. Jtipe Plant. 



Arendt 10:34 10:114 10:28 10 : 25 10:66 



Bretschneider..lO : 30 10 : 50 10 : 46 10 : 120 10 : 51 



5. The Ash-ingredients of the oat are absorbed through- 

 out its entire growth, but in regularly diminishing quan- 

 tity. The gain during the 1st period being 10, that in the 

 2d period is 9, in the 3d, 8, in the 4th, 5, in the 5th, 2 

 nearly. 



The ratios of gain in ash-ingredients to that in entire 

 dry substance, are as follows, ash-ingredients being as- 

 sumed as 1, in the successive periods : 



1 : 12J, 1 : 27, 1 : 16, 1 : 23, 1 : 19. 

 Accordingly, the absorption of ash-ingredients is not pro- 

 portional to the growth of the plant, but is to some degree 

 accidental, and independent of the wants of vegetation. 



Recapitulation. Assuming the quantity of each proxi- 

 mate element in the ripe plant as 100, it contained at the 

 end of the several periods the following amounts : 



Fiber. Fat. Amyloids. Albuminoids. Ash. 



I. Period, 18o | 20 | 15" | 27o| 29o| 



II. " 81 " 50 " 47 " 45 " 55 " 



III. " 100" 85" 70" 57" 79" 



IV. " 100 " 100 " 92 " 90 " 95 " 

 V. " 100 " 100 " 100 " 100 " 100 " 



