ORIGIN OF THE ELEMENTS OF SOIL. 51 



nesia, and potash, varying from O04 to 1 per cent, 

 of the vegetable. Indian com contains 1 1-2 per 

 cent, of phosphate and sulphate of lime. Rice, 

 wheat, barley, oats, all contain notable portions of 

 sulphate and phosphate of lime, not only in the 

 grain, but in the straw. Smut and egot, show free 

 phosphoric acid. Cotton gives 1 per cent, of ashes, 

 of which 0*17 are phosphates of lime and magnesia. 

 The cotton consumed weekly, in the Lowell Mills, 

 is 400,000 lbs. containing 680 lbs. of phosphate of 

 lime, and this would furnish the bone-earth, for the 

 bones of 17 horses, allowing 90 lbs. to each skele- 

 ton, of which 40 lbs. would consist of phosphate of 

 lime. That beautiful yellow powder, shed by pine 

 forests, the pollen of its flowers, wafted about in 

 clouds, and descending with the rain, covering the 

 surface of water with its sulphur-like film, is com- 

 posed of 6 per cent, of phosphates of lime and pot- 

 ash. The ashes of all wood, contain sulphate and 

 phosphate of lime. Garget contains in its leaves 

 beautiful crystals of phosphate of lime and ammonia, 

 whilst the little delicate plants, growing almost be- 

 neath its shade, mouse-ear-everlasting, and early sax- 

 ifrage, contain in their leaves carbonate of lime. 



