HOW TO GROW GOOD CLOVER. 141 



before the process, these ingredients were in a measure 

 locked up, so that plants could not grow for the want 

 of sustenance ; not that it was not in the soil, but 

 that -it was insoluble. If, then, clover or any other 

 plant had not succeeded, it would have been called 

 " clover-sick." 



The following analysis of vegetable ashes from a 

 field in the neighbourhood of Cirencester will well 

 repay attentive consideration, as illustrating these 

 points : — 



ANALYSIS OF ASHES FROM PARING AND BURNING, BY 

 PROFESSOR VOELCKER. 



Moisture and orgauic matter 9*12 



Oxides of iron and alumina 14-56 



Carbonate of lime 17*17 



Sulphate of lime 1 -73 



Magnesia -40 



Chloride of sodium "08 



Chloride of potassium "32 



Potash 1-44 



Phosphoric acid 1 - 84 



Equal to bone earth (398) 



Soluble silica (soluble in potash) 8-70 



Insoluble silicious matter 44-64 



100-00 



Now, that land so burnt and containing such ingre- 

 dients would, after the process, refuse to grow clovers 

 we cannot at all believe ; but we do know that some 

 of the land of a like composition will not grow even 

 a crop of turnips until prepared as described ; and 

 though the taking a subsequent barley crop off before 

 the clover would not tend to the improvement of the 

 latter, it will be too often because the barley has 



N 



