70 



Table XV. — Tiuo analyses of ash of greaseicood plant. 



Constituents. 



First 

 analysis. 



Second 

 analysis. 



Ash of air-dried plants . _-- _ . - _ 



Percent. 

 12.03 



Per cent. 

 13 12 









SiOp 



11.81 



18.53 



39.45 



1.36 



1.09 



3 00 



KoO - 



22 06 



NaoO 



23 89 



CaO -. - . - 



6 52 



MgO 



1 1 35 



MnOo 



Trace 



FesOs 



} 7.06 



3.51 

 4.93 

 0.46 

 15. 04 





AUO^i 



14.73 



p:o5 ■ "' " 



4 12 



SO, 



4 33 



CO, - 



23.80 



CL! 



8.01 











103.04 

 3.25 



101. 81 

 1.81 











99.79 



100. oa 



1 By difference. ^ 



While these analj^ses differ considerably in details they indicate the 

 same general conclusions; that is, the ash or decomposition products 

 of the plant will yield a verj^ lar£>'e amount of alkali in the form of 

 carbonates. The figure^in Hilgard's analysis, he states, indicate the 

 presence of about 25 per cent of sodium chloride ; about 8 per cent of 

 Glauber's salt (Na2SO4l0H2O), and about 39 per cent sodium carbon- 

 ate. Combining the figures of Goss and Griffin's analj^sis in the con- 

 ventional way, we find about 13 per cent sodium chloride and 29 per 

 cent sodium carbonate. The figures are misleading, for they depend 

 upon an arbitrary calculation of the data as salts, and the effect of the 

 other constituents can not properlj^ be ignored. Similarly, but a quali- 

 tative comparison can be made from the data obtained by us. If it 

 may be assumed that the leaves and stems are of equal mass in the 

 individual plants when air dried, our results compare quite well with 

 the analyses just cited. 



Acknowledgments are due Messrs. F. D. Gardner and Atherton Sei- 

 dell for assistance in the experimental work described. 



SUMMARY. 



It would seem as a result of the experiments described in this paper 

 that in certain cases at least a transformation of neutral salts to the 

 corresx)onding carbonates through the agencj^ of plant growth is pos- 

 sible and even probable, and that this factor must be taken under con- 

 sideration in determining the value and use of such plants. Some 

 tentative suggestions are offered as to the disposition of the mineral 

 salts in plant economy, which it is hoped will lead to more exhaustive 



