148 TALKS ON MANUKES. 



was very nearly the same quantity of roots and nitrogen in them, 

 as that furnished in the soil from the brow of the hill. 



u The roots, moreover, yielded .365 per cent of phosphoric acid ; 

 or, calculated per acre, 27 Ibs. 



" In the partially dried soil, I found : 



Moisture ...................................................... 4.70 



Organic matter* ............................................... 10.87 



Mineral mattert ................................................ 



100.UO 



* Containing nitrogen 405 



Equal to ammonia 491 



t Including phosphoric acid 321 



" According to these determinations, an acre of soil from the 

 bottom of the hill, contains : 



Tons. Cwts. Lbs. 



Nitrogen in the organic matter of the soil 2 2 



Nitrogen iu clover-roots of the soil (>1 



Total amount of nitrogen per acre 2 2 <>l 



" Compared with the amount of nitrogen in the soil from the 

 brow of the hill, about 11 cwt. more nitrogen was obtained in the 

 soil and roots from the bottom of the hill, where the clover was 

 more luxuriant. 



" The increased amount of nitrogen occurred in line root-fibres 

 and other organic matters of the soil, and not in the coarser bits of 

 roots which were picked out by the hand. It may be assumed 

 that the finer particles of organic matter are more readily decom- 

 posed than the coarser roots ; and as there was a larger amount of 

 nitrogen in this than in the preceding soil, it may be expected that 

 the land at the bottom of the hill, after removal of the clover, was 

 in a belter agricultural condition for wheat, than that on the brow 

 of the hill. 



