228 
2. Of the Composition of Ash from the Stalks of the Unripe 
Plant. “4 
Prof. Norton on the Analysis of the Oat. 
Taste VII. 
June 4. June 11.|June 18 June 25.) July 2.{ Joly 9 [Joly 16. 
Potash and soda, —. 24-94 | 21-45 | 26-49 "86 | 36 30°16 | 42:43 
Shlorid of sodium, 32:66 | 34-65 | 24-94 | 24-57 | 11-62 | 17-82. | 4-46 
Lime,” . es 2-40 | 4:22 |) 3:74 | 2-42] 2-64 ‘60 | 4:32 
Magnesia, . 0-88 | 3-20} 2:20 | 258] 2:17 | 2-27 1-47 
Oxyd of iron, . —« 0-39 | 0-30} 0:-40.| 0:58 |. 0-88 |. 0-68 |. 0-62 
Sulphuric acid, 8 6:15.) 7-82 | 851 | 4-87 "98 | 9-09 | 7-84 
horic acid,” . 16-15 | 13-96 | 12-55 | 7-81} 2-21 °| 5-57 | 6-31 
Silica. ye 16°29 | 14-32 | 20-41 | 28-08 | 36- 32:39 | 34-85 
! 99-86 | 99-92 | 99.24 | 99-77 | 99-40 | 99-52 1100-33" 
The decrease in the 
very remarkable, from 324 to 
quantity of chlorid of sodium is here also 
r cent. 
The phosphoric acid 
continued without much variation until the 25th of June, when 
the oat itself began to form; by the 2d of July the oats had shot 
up from the stalk and become visible; in that week a marked 
and sudden decrease took place in the phosphoric acid. In the 
two succeeding weeks it began again to increase. No very great 
changes seem to have taken place in the other constituents, ex- 
cepting the gradual increase of silica. The composition of the 
stalk on the 16th of July differs very greatly from that of a ma- 
ture stalk, as will afterwards be seen. It was then still green and 
vigorous, growing rapidly, and serving as a canal for the convey- 
ance of a great portion of their food to the other parts of the 
plant. ‘The inorganic ingredients, therefore, might be expected: 
to vary, as we see them, with the fluctuations of temperature 
more or less favorable to vegetable growth. 
3. Composition of Ash from the whole Oat, at different periods 
of iis growth. . 
Tasce VIII. 
ee ' July? | July July 16. 
| Potash and soda, ey eB AEP 32-92 31-31 31:37 
| Chiorid of sodium, se. uy 10-37 8:10 0-61» 
Lime, .. -» ‘ a : ‘ ‘ 2-70 _ 5-40 6°76 
| Magnesia, . 3-44 4:52 9-94 
| Oxyd of iron 039 2) ‘35 
Sulphuric acid, . 10°35 12:78 . 16-42 
Phosphoric acid 14-02 20-09 15-19 
Silica 24-40 17-05 26-05 
98-59 99°46 99-69 
During these three weeks the cat attained nearly its full length, 
but was yet quite green, and the grain scarcely begun to 
form in the interior of the husk. The above table, therefore, 
only enables us to compare the earliest part of its growth with the 
latest as afterwards given. The diminution of chlorine is, how- 
ever, to be noticed as very great in the short space of three weeks. 
Ithink the large quantity of sulphuric acid present at this time 
would have diminished, as I have seldom found so much in the 
ash of the ripe oat. 
