NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 73 



'broken down and laid flat and longitudinally with the furrow 

 :and covered in that position. 



The cotton stalk is also laid flat and ploughed under. The 

 real importance of this operation becomes evident on an in- 

 spection of the composition even of the dried stalks, bolls or 

 capsules. 



I found from the composition of the capsules that they are 

 richer than the stalks. 



The percentage of ash of the dry capsules is 5.402, nearly 

 six per cent. It was obtained from capsules left in the field 

 growing in the county of ISTash. 



46. The ploughing in of the dry plant returns a certain 

 amount to the soil. From the capsules there will be returned 

 'in every hundred parts of ash of percentage of ash 5.60 : 



EarUhy and alkaline phosphates and potash, 21.480 



Soda, 5.230 



Earthj phosphates, 22.923 



Lime, 81 .940 



Magnesia, 11.627 



Sulphuric acid, 0.400 



'Chlorine, 0.231 



Soluble silica, 1.302 



Adherent sand, .-.'..... 2.601 



97.734 



In the stalks of cotton in the condition in which they are 

 broken down preparatory to ploughing the field I found the 

 following elements: 



Alkaline and earthy phosphates, .. . . 14.400 



Potash, ...... 17.400 



Soda, 20.860 



Lime, 31.200 



Mrgneisa, 13.160 



Sulphuric acid, 3.04fi 



Chlorine, 0.400 



Soluble silica, 0.100 



100.5615 



47. From the foregoing analysis it is evident that the 



