three pounds in weight. Analytically this was fully shown by the reseftrches of the continental 

 chemists, who had examined the suliject, and was fully confirmed by our results of last year. 

 Further than this, no practical application seems to have been made of the fact; and as very large 

 roots, grown in a i-ich and properly tilled soil, may be bettor than moderate-sized ones, grown in 

 another place, no general law as to growth was siirmised. In most previous investigations upon 

 the composition of roots, the examination was contiued to a single root from each locality ; and 

 hence it is owing to this cause that no satisfactory results were obtained. 



To remedy this defect, we determined to take six roots from each locality — three of the largest 

 and three of the smallest; and in order to diminish the influence of accidental causes, we subjected 

 a great number of roots to examination. Our results are, in fact, founded upon the examination of 

 about 450 roots, of every kind, including Swedish turnips, carrots, the different varieties of the 

 beet, &c. 



With very few exceptions, we have found that, as a general rule, small roots contain a larger 

 per eentage of solid matter than large roots, in some cases even to the extent of fifty per cenL 

 Thus, the mean per eentage of solid matter contained in three roots of sugar beet, varying from 3 lbs. 

 11^- oz. to 4 lbs. 2 oz., grown by Mr. K'iven, of Drumcondra, was found to be only 10.408, whilst in 

 three small roots, varying from 1 lb. 3^ oz. to 1 lb. 11 f oz., it was 17.427 ; or, in other words, 100 

 tons of the small roots would be equal to 167.43 tons of the large. To take another example: — 

 Tfiree roots of long red mangel wurzel, grown by Mr. Keli.t, of Portrane, varying from 6 lbs. 

 14^ oz. to 9 lbs. 3 oz., contained only 10.986 per cent, of solid, whilst three small roots, varying 

 from 6j oz. to 7£- oz., contained 1.5.624 per cent. — that i% 100 tons of the small contained as much 

 solid matter as 142.18 tons of the large. The rule ap])li<'s equally to Swedish turnips. Thus, three 

 turnips, grown by Mr. Boylk, at the work-liouse farm of Ballymoney, county of Antrim, varying 

 from 6 lbs. 5} oz. to 6 lbs. 12 oz., yielded 13.731 per cent, of solid matter, and three small root^, 

 varying from 1 lb. 2 oz. to 1 lb. 5^ oz., 16.254 per cent ; or, in other words, 100 tons of the small 

 would be equal to 118.37 tons of the l.^rge. 



Owing to the influence of accidental causes — such as the comparative ripeness of the grains of 

 seed, the influence of manure, (fee. — it could not be expected that, in every case, a small difl'ereuce 

 in weight would be accompanied by a corresponding difference in the amount of solid matter ; and 

 accordingly we find that, in many cases, a root of 4 lbs may contain as much, and even more, solid 

 matter than a root of 3 lbs. Nevertheless, such examples are rare, as will be found by reference to 

 the tables of the detailed report about to be published. But, if we divide the roots grown upon a 

 field into several groups, showing large differences of weight, the rule becomes universal. Thus, in 

 seventeen roots of sugar beet, grown by Lord Talbot dk Mal.^hide, upon the Island of Lambay, 

 there were — 



Four roofs of l>om 6 to 8 lbs. in weight, which yielded aa a mean per cent of solid matter,. . 12.M1 



Five roots, between .3 and 5 lbs., 14.197 



Eight roots, under 3 lbs., 15.753 



These results clearly indicate that with increase of weight the solidity of roots diminishes. 



On tabulating our results we have found that, taken as a whole, small roots, no matter how or 

 where grown, are superior to large roots in the amount of solid matter. The following table con- 

 tains a summary of our mean results, as far as we have been able as yet to reduce them : — 



it) 



Tills table presents some curious results, besides ahowing the decreasing value of the roois a.s the 

 size iner'.^ases. Thus, for instance, as far as these results go, the sugar beet cont.nins the largest 

 amount of solid mntti.'r of any of the root crops now cultivated; and red and white c.-^rrot.'*, though 

 usually sold for ,€2 or £2 10s. per ton, are very little sup<'rior to ordinary Swedes, and much iiiferior 

 to the varieties of beet. Of course, we do not pretend that the value of roots can be determined 

 by the per eentage of solid matter alone, as its composition must be taken into account Biit, in 

 the same variety df ]ilant, it will give an approximation to the truth — indeed, practically speaking, 

 a very close one ; in different species, or different families of plants, it is absolutely necessary to take 

 the composition as well as the quantity of solid matter into consideration. In the ease of carrots, 

 however, an examination of tlie solid "matter does not show that they are superior to that o-f the beet 



In the few exceptions to the general rule which we have observed, the large and small have had 

 nearly the same composition, and no case has occurred where the small roots exhibited a decided 



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