Vol. VIII, No. 10.] The Ash of the Plantain. 365 
[N.S.] 
Caleutta Calcutta, Burma, 
ba Belvedere, 
1 
Silica a mp 5°30 31°36 34°65 
tron and alumina eh 5°60 4°79 7:27 
Lime 11°40 12-36 7°26 
Magnesia 3°92 8°44 
Potash ff 33°05 16°59 13°98 
Soda $i 2-05 10°28 5°47 
Phosphoric acid 9-70 5°21 3°03 
Sulphuri ‘3 8°23 2°84 2°35 
Carbonic wd eet ryt 1-87 6°43 
Chlorine ‘ak brs 5-40 6°49 3°10 
Manganese was present in all the samples. 
here are some striking differences in the combination of 
inorganic elements in the three trees of the same botanical 
any one constituent exists in a constant proportion, or that the 
ash of the plantain has a peculiarly characteristic composition. 
There is a remarkably small amount of silica in the ash of the 
Partial analyses of the ash of the young and mature leaves 
and midrib showed also considerable differences in the amount 
10°87 per cent., with 2°42 per cent of silica and 1:04 per cent 
of lime. As shown above the analysis of individual samples of 
plant organs has only a limited value. 
It will be interesting to quote the analysis of the fruit of the 
banana or plantain from Venezuela made by Marcane and 
Muntz (Jahresber. f. Agric. Chem., 1877, 2C, 125, and 1879, 
22, 104). It contained potassium sulphate 3-61, potassium 
chloride 14:34, magnesium phosphate 8°77, potassium oxide 
‘12, potassium carbonate 41-66, calcium carbonate 1°17, iron 
oxide 0°36, silica 2°06. —- 
The husk of the fruit contained potassium carbonate 47:98, 
sodium carbonate 6°58, potassium chloride 25°18, alkaline phos- 
phate (with a little sulphate) 5°66, charcoal 7-5, lime 7:1, silica 
and carthy phosphates. 
e Saussure, so long ago as 1804, recognized that the ash of a 
particular plant is considerably influenced by the nature of the 
