53 



THE COMPOSITION OF (JUAS.SES. 



COMPOSITIOX OF A Cliul' OF MEADOW GRASS. 



^"^^'itei- -. 8.;5rs lbs. 



Carbon VMb] 



llv(li'()<reii 144 ! 



Kitroyeii- 4!) 



Oxy<;en iiiul Sulpliur 110') 



roiasb 5(i.;5 



S()(hi-. 11.!) 



Limo- X\S.l 



iMa<jiiosia 10.1 



Oxide of Iron. '.» 



Pbospboric Acid... l^i.l 



»Suli)burit' Acid JO.S 



Clilorinc l().-.> 



Silica 5T.5 



Suud, tic 4.5 



Combustible matter 3,G13 lbs. 



Ash. 



209 lbs. 



Total cro]) 11,:*()() lbs. 



I'roni the soil ])Iants obtain, by means of tbeir roots,, all their 

 ush constituents, all tbeir sulphur, and nearly the whole of their 

 nitrogen and M'ater. From the atmosphere they obtain, through 

 their leaves, the whole, or nearly the whoh', of their carbon, 

 Avith probably snndl (|uantities of nitrogen and water. The 

 amount and com])osition of the ash of succulent ])lants, as 

 meadow grass and clover, is greatly inlluenced by the character 

 of the soil and the manure applied. 



For most of the above iiaragrai)h the writer is indebted to the 

 Chvnnstrii of ihv Fonn, by \\. Warington. 



Meadow hay contains a much larger ju'oportion of potash and 

 lime than is found in the rijjened grain of the cereals. 



The Clieniieal (Composition of American Grasses.* "In 

 submitting grasses to chemical analysis, with a view of judging 

 of their nutritive value, it is usual to determine the amount pres- 

 vont of water, ash, fat or oil, liber »Md nitrogen. From the latter 

 the amount of albuminoids to which it is equivalent is readily 

 <'alculated by multiplying by a factor which represents tlie per 



* Taken by permission from the Attricnltunil Grasses, by the United State Denart- 

 jnentof AgriiiiUure, 1884, Clifford Riclmrlson, Assistant Cliemist. 



