264 



Chemical Analysis. 



Roots and Leaves, r , aa Whole 

 Woody Tendrils, **»® e c n Plant 

 Stems. and Fruits. oteras - air-dried 



16 42 42 



per cent per cent per cent per cent 



Moisture at 100° C . . 12-00 0*80 12*00 11-07 



Organic matter . . 84-36 80-14 84-20 82-71 



Ash 3-64 10-06 3-80 6-39 



Nitrogen .. .. 0-78 3-81 1-04 2-16 

 The ash contains — 



Lime 36-00 30-80 29-60 31-13 



Magnesia .. .. 8-37 13-10 14-46 12-91 



Potash 15-24 13-84 20-84 17-00 



Phosphoric acid . . 2-20 4-22 4*61 4*06 



Sulphuric acid . . . . 3*06 8-02 6-46 6-57 



Chlorine . .. 2*80 6-03 3-21 4-32 



Soluble silicates . . 8-50 5-00 1-36 4-03 



Sand 0-45 6-48 0-24 2*89 



The proportion of nitrogen is very similar to that in 

 some of the leguminous plants, but in this case it has been 

 entirely derived from the soil. The chief ash constituents 

 absorbed are lime potash, and magnesia, with a small 

 amount of phosphoric and sulphuric acids. 



The plant appears to have the power of readily decom- 

 posing silicates. All the nitrogen and mineral matter is, of 

 course, returned to the soil on the decay of the plant, and 

 left in a readily available condition for the other product. 



An average growth of the plant 10 in. deep yields about 

 26,100 lb. of fresh green material per acre, or, allowing 70 

 per cent, of moisture lost on air drying, equals 7,830 lb. of 

 air dried material. This amount of matter would contain 

 the following quantities of the chief constituents per acre : — 



169 lb. nitrogen . . 500 lb. ash 



the latter containing — 



155*6 lb. lime 32*8 lb. sulphuric acid 



64*5 lb. magnesia 21*6 lb. chlorine 



85*0 lb. potash 21*5 lb. soluble silicates 



20-3 lb. phosphoric acid 

 Another plant of somewhat similar growth, which dur- 

 ing the last few years has spread enormously in Ceylon, is 

 the Mikania scandens, belonging to the natural order Com- 

 posit 03. It can be seen covering the scrub jungle and trees 

 along the Colombo line from Peradeniya, and has spread 

 down the Mahaweli-ganga to Trincomalee. Under suitable 



