76 



ANALYSIS OF THE ASH OF PLANTS. 



TABLE n. 



In 100 lbs of ash. 



Silica, 



Iron, 



Lime, 



Magnesia, 



Phosphoric acid, . . , , 



Sulphuric acid, 



Potash, 



Soda, 



Chloride of sodium, 



Peas, 



0-56 



0-68 



2-96 



7-75 



38-34 



2-63 



27-12 



17-43 



1-88 



Field 

 Beaiis. 



1-48 



0-34 



5-38 



7-35 



35-33 



2-28 



21-71 



21-07 



3-32 



99-35 98-26 99-11 



Wheat 



1-92 



0-53 



3-02 



13-58 



45-44 



24-18 

 10-34 



There is a little loss in each analysis, as is almost 

 invariably the case in practice. 



a. It will be seen from this table, that with the 

 exception of the two substances above mentioned, 

 alumina and manganese, all of the others named in 

 Table I. are also present here. In subsequent tables, 

 I shall have occasion to present the composition of ash 

 from other crops, and it will be found that in these also 

 they are, as a general rule, all mentioned. 



6. Other facts are indicated by this table, which are 

 of much importance : it will be noticed that the ash 

 of these seeds varies considerably in composition. In 

 beans and peas, for instance, the quantity of potash 

 and soda is much greater than in wheat, while on the 

 other hand wheat contains most phosphoric acid: these 

 points will be alluded to again. 



Some of the substances named in the table, as lime 

 and magnesia, are in small quantity. Suppose 60 

 bushels of beans to the acre, a very large crop, 

 weighing 60 lbs. per bushel, and making a total weight 

 of 3600 lbs. Each 100 lbs. would yield about 2 lbs. 

 of ash; at that rate, the amount of ash taken from an 

 acre would be 72 lbs. Of this only about 9 lbs., ac- 



