EXTRACTS FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC. 133 



Phosphoric acid, 45 . 35 



Lime, 29 .79 



Potassa, 19 .40 



Sulphuric acid, 1.16 



95.70 

 From the foregoing analysis it would appear difficult to imagine 

 a vegetable compound, better adapted for fertilizing land, than the 

 cotton seed ; nor can we any longer be surprised at the well known 

 fact, that soils long cropped with this staple, without a return to 

 them of the inorganic matters withdrawn in the seed, become com- 

 pletely exhausted and unproductive. 



3d. Indian Com. 

 One hundred parts heated to redness in a crucible, so long as a 

 brightly burning flame was emitted, lost 81.05 parts. The com- 

 pletely charred residuum on being ignited beneath a muffle, upon 

 a platina foil, until all the carbon was consumed, left 0.95 parts, 

 or less than 1 per cent of an easily flowing clear glass. This ash 

 has the following composition : — 



Silica, 38.45 



Potassa, (with traces of soda) 19.51 



Phosphate of lime, 17 . 17 



Phosphate of magnesia, 13 . 83 



Phosphate of potassa, 2 .24 



Carb. lime, 2.50 



Carb. magnesia, 2 . 16 



Sulphate of lime, I r-q 



Sulphate of magnesia, ) 



Silica, mechanically present, 1.70 



Alumina, traces, 



Loss, 1 . 65 



100.00 

 Omitting the silica as an unimportant loss to the soil, and the 

 carbonic acid which is a product of the analysis, we have in every 

 100 parts of the ash of the Indian corn, the following important 

 inorganic constituents : — 



Potassa, 20.87 



Phosphoric acid, 18 .80 



Lime, 9.72 



Magnesia, 5.76 



55.15 

 That is to say, for every 1,000 pounds of Indian corn sold from 

 an estate, the land is robbed of 9i lbs. inorganic matter, whereof 



