1S46.] Wheat. 135 



curits'. because, indicatins:. as it does, the absolute quantity of 

 carbon and azote which is found developed in crops, it is of no 

 consequence whether the substances containing these elements 

 were weighed in a state of greater or less dryness. 



On the 19th of May, 1S44, he looked out for a spot where the 

 Wheat was as uniform as possible. 450 plants were taken, 

 which, freed by washing from the adherent earth, and dried by 

 long exposure to air, 



oz. (advp.) 



Produced stems and leaves. 9.7 



Roots, 1.6 



11.3 



On the 9th June, when it was in flower, 450 other plants were 

 taken in the same spot, and dried in the same way, which save. 



Spikes in fiower, 3.S 



Stems and leaves. - 29.9 



Roots, 3.5 



37.2 



On the 15th of August, at harvest time, 450 plants were again 

 taken as before, which gave — 



Seed, 23.8 



Spike and chaif. 5.4 



Straw, 32.6 



Roots, 4.2 



66.0 

 Mean for each plant — 



Difference, 



Mav 19. Plant without flowers. 019S ( ^.-. -, 



June 9. Plant in flower. 0S30 \ ^'^^ 



Aug. 15. Plant in seed, 1471 0641 



Thus, from flowering to harvest, the increase of dry matter was 

 in a ratio of 100: 177, that is to say, that in this interval the 

 weight of the plant was almost doubled — a result verv different 

 from that arrived at by M. de Dombasle. 



The analysis of these successive crops was made bv takinor as 

 a representative of each, proportional quantities of diflerent or- 

 gans. The details of this analysis are here omitted, and we con- 

 fine ourselves to giving the Table in which ^I. Boussingault has 

 established the successive increase of organic matter in the crop 

 from a hectare of land. (2.471 acres.) In fact the crop from the 

 land whence the plants for experiment had been taken was 

 weighed with the greatest care. First, the weight of the sheaves 



