INFLUENCE OF AMMONIA ON QUALITY 



127 



Rothamsted in 1880 contained 0-518 per cent of albuminoid 

 nitrogen in their dry matter, while those grown with the liberal 

 nitrogenous manure contained 0720 per cent. The use of nitro- 

 genous manures has thus an important influence on the com- 

 position of the turnip. Sheep could not have been fed on the 

 above named superphosphate swedes, with merely the addition 

 of straw chaff, without losing weight, the quantity of albumi- 

 noids supplied by the roots being too small for their sustenance, 

 but they might have been maintained in condition by the highly 

 manured roots. 



Some analyses of turnips by Dr. Aitken (Trans. Highland 

 Society y 1889, 252) will supply further details as to the com- 

 position of variously manured turnips. The whole of the land 

 received in this case a dressing of dung. The sulphate of 

 ammonia was applied at the rate of 120 Ibs. per acre. 



TABLE XLIII. 



PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF TURNIP ROOTS VARIOUSLY 

 MANURED (AITKEN) 



These figures show that the increase of water in the turnip 

 is by no means a peculiar property of nitrogenous man- 

 ures, a similar effect is produced by superphosphate ; any 

 manure in fact which considerably increases the size of the 

 root will also increase the proportion of water which it contains. 



The influence of sulphate of ammonia in increasing the 

 percentage of albuminoids, and of the other nitrogenous con- 

 stituents, is plainly seen. 



