EXTRACTS FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC. 171 



Sand, 861 .26 



Chalk, 10.00 



Alumina, 15 . 00 



Oxide of iron, 10.00 



('arbonate maG;nesia, 5 . 00 



Phosphate of lime, 15 .00 



Oxide manganese, 2 .50 



Anhydrous sulphate of lime, 1 . 25 



Sulphate of potash, . 34 



Humate of potash, 3.41 



Soda, ; 2 .22 



Humate of ammonia, 10 .29 



" lime, 3.07 



" magnesia, 1 . 97 



" alumina, 4 . 64 



" iron, 3.32 



Humine insoluble in water, 50.00 



The plants in the sand were moistened by distilled water, be- 

 sides being protected from external influences by being covered. 

 Germination, growth, and sometimes flowering took place, but all 

 were stinted and imperfect, and none produced seed. The plants 

 in the mixed artificial soil grew luxuriantly and produced ripe 

 fruit. 



In order to determine the elements of the plants which grew in 

 the sand, they were dried and burnt, and for comparison a quan- 

 tity of seed equal in weight to that which had been planted was also 

 burnt to ashes and its elements also determined by analysis. The 

 results were that the elements of plants which grew in the sand weigh- 

 ed twice as much'as those of the seeds sown — while the elements of 

 the ashes of the plants which grew in the mixed soil w^ere twice and a 

 half times greater than those which grew in the sand ; and in the 

 tobacco plant five times greater. To account for the additional 

 matter found in the plant over and above that originally contained 

 in the seed sown, the sand in which they grew was analysed 

 after being well washed in boiling water. It contained 



Silex, or flint, 97.900 



Potash, 0.320 



Lime, 0.484 



Magnesia, .009 



Alumina, 0.876 



Oxide of iron, . 315 





The same sand was then exposed to water during a month 

 through which carbonic acid continually passed. The solution 

 was then analysed, when it was found to contain silica, potash, 

 lime and magnesia. To prove that the additional matter of the 



