42 



ANALYSIS OF THE ONIONS. 



A recent analysis, under the direction of Prof. Goessmar 

 of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, gives the following 

 as the principal constituents of the onion : 



Air dry onions without leaves were found to consist of: 



Water (at ioo° to no° G.) 



1 )rv vegetable matter 

 and contained the following amounts of 



Nitrogen .... 



Sulphur . . . 



Ash 



The percentages of the principal constituents of the ash 

 were : 



Potassium oxide 



Sodium oxide 



Calcium oxide 



Magnesium oxide . 



Sesquioxide of iron 



Silicic acid 



Phosphoric acid 



Sulphuric acid not determined 

 In the above table Potassium oxide, Sodium oxide, Cal- 

 cium oxide and Magnesium oxide, mean practically pure 

 Potash, Soda, Lime and Magnesia. 



I infer from the table that of the three grand essentials in 

 manure, Nitrogen, Potash and Phosphoric acid, the onion 

 requires about equal quantities o/ the two former and half as 

 much of the latter. 



I trust this contribution will prove acceptable. 



TAMES J. H. GREGORY. 



89.20 per cent. 

 10.80 



0.212 percent. 

 0.048 " 

 0.436 



38.51 per cent. 

 1.90 

 8.20 



3.65 

 0.58 



3-33 

 15.80 



Marblehead. Mass. 



