70 ANALYSES OF THE GRASSES. 



materially in composition. Grasses are strictly silica plants ; but the clovers, in place of 

 silica, contain lime and magnesia. The other nutritive bodies, however, are not very 

 dissimilar, consisting as they do in each class of albumen in conjunction with woody Abre, 

 and phosphates of lime, magnesia and iron. 



As in the potato, so in the grasses, it is essential that we should ascertain the proximate 

 element* of which they are composed. I have been able as yet to make but a few analyses 

 of these products, scarcely suflScient, it is supposed, to aid in estimating their practical use 

 in feeding and fattening stock to the greatest advantage. Regarding the inorganic and 

 organic parts as of equal impqrtance, the work of analysis is but half completed when it 

 slops with the ash. As my attention has been mostly directed to the ash analysis, I shall 

 first give my results in this research ; designing, if necessary, to select from the works of 

 others such analyses of the organic parts aa shall be deemed sufficient to answer the in- 

 quiries of agriculturists, or so much as I deem necessary to an entire view of the subject, 

 or to a somewhat complete exhibition of the composition of these plants. 



I. TIMOTHY GRASS {Phleum pratensis)*. 



1. First specimen : collected May 20, 1848. 

 Stalk 24 inches long ; head not visible. 



PROPORTION*. 



Stalk 65-30 



Leaf 34-70 



100-00 



Water in the stalk - 81*00 



Dry matter 17-80 



Ash 1-20 



Ash calculated dry - • - - - - 6-74 



Water in the leaf 75-00 



Dry matter 23 00 



Ash 200 



Ash calculated dry 8-69 



Water in the whole plant - - - - 78-00 



Dry matter 2046 



Ash 1-60 



Ash calculated dry - - - - - - 7-82 



• By Mr. Bau., Hoosic FalU, Rensselaer couiity. 



