214. COFFEE ANALYSES AND MANURES. 
phate or the bones and superphosphate can be added 
to the cowdung. But what, all this time, about 
potash, the dominant ingredient in all analyses of 
coffee? Let us hear what the modern chemist says, 
not only to correct our popular ideas, but also the 
theory of the great Liebig :— ; 
‘*Potash is by far the largestitem, there being 234 
lbs. out of 60 Ibs of total ash, and if the mineral 
theory of Liebig was to be followed, we should make 
it the most important element in all coffee manures, 
but I need not mention that this theory has been 
found to be inconsistent with practical experience, 
indeed its fallacy is now generally admitted, though 
agriculturists must always feel grateful to the great 
German chemist for having directed attention to the 
composition of the ash of plants, and so opened up 
a field for future scientific investigation into the general 
composition of the organic as well as mineral con- 
stituents of farm crops. 
‘‘There are three important reasons why potash should 
not be supplied in large quantities in coffee manures. 
‘¢ Ist.—All potash salts, whether as nitrate, muriate, 
carbonate or sulphate, are readily soluble in cold 
water, and are therefore liable to be washed away 
before they can be assimilated by the roots of the tree. 
‘¢ 2nd.—Plants appear to possess the power of ab- 
stracting potash from the soil itself to a much greater 
extent than they do the other important mineral 
elements. 
‘‘ Thus an average crop of turnips, 17 tons per acre, 
remove in the roots and leaf about 150 lbs, of potash, 
74 Ibs of lime, 50 Ibs of sulphuric acid, and 53 lbs of 
phosphoric acid, and yet the manures used do not 
contain any appreciable quantity of potash, but consist 
almost entirely of phosphate and sulphate of lime in 
a condition readily soluable in water. I am referring 
now to the artificial manufactured manures prepared 
in thousands of tons every year, and which, under 
the name of superphosphate and dissolved bones, are 
the recognised fertilizers for turnips andswedes. In- 
deed every district in England now has its own sulph- 
uric acid and manure manufactory. 
‘‘ $rd.—From my analysis of the ide silicates 
(see Badulla and Haputale analysis) of good coffee 
soils, there appears to be a practically inexhaustible 
supply of potash, which will be rendered available for 
plant food, as the soil becomes disintegrated or de- 
composed by atmospheric influences. 
‘“ For the above reasons, then, it will be dean 
that potash salts when applied to coffee in Ceylon 
should be employed in but small quantities, and should 
