138 



Analyses of Ashes of Plants. 



kind of crop grows most rapidly with least manure, furnishing 

 the greatest quantity of most nutritive food. Or it might be de- 

 cided by chemical analysis — in which case, however, the advan- 

 tages to be derived from the culture of any particular plant, 

 might be modified or entirely nullified by some practical diffi- 

 culties not anticipated by its scientific examination. 



Should however chemical investigation succeed in bringing into 

 more fra'ourable notice and general culture, any one plant of su- 

 perior capabilities in the abovementioned respect, it will amply 

 repay the attention which agriculturists are at the present time 

 inclined to bestow upon it. We shall have at the conclusion of 

 this report to compare the mineral composition of the most im- 

 portant root crops; and although we do not hope to show any very 

 distinct reasons why one of these should be preferred as a fallow 

 crop to others in use, we can only clearly state their relative 

 value in the preparation of mineral food for the cereals, leaving 

 the practical man to draw upon his own knowledge of the habi- 

 tudes of the plants for the practical application of the information 

 afforded by their chemical analysis. 



Let it not be thought from the foregoing remarks,, that we can 

 take only one narrow contracted view of the relation which the 

 culture of the root crop bears to the whole rotation, or that we 

 seek to explain the advantages of existing practices and modern 

 improvements, solely upon chemical principles. A practical 

 farmer will tell us, that there are twenty ways in which the root 

 crops are beneficial to his land. That they are means in his 

 hands for altering the texture of the soil ; that they afford him 

 opportunity of cleansing and well stirring it, &c. This is very 

 true ; but after all, it will be found that their most important 

 function is (as before said) the collection and preparation of food 

 for the cereals. The root crops may be called the nurses of the 

 tender and helpless corn plants ; like nurses, they themselves re- 

 quire food, but their organs are of a nature to render them less 

 dependent upon the character of that food. Food is, indeed, the 

 first consideration to plants as well as animals ; give a man plenty 

 of wholesome nutritious food, and he will be comparatively sale 

 from the attacks of disease, and indifferent to the inclemency of 

 the weather. Stint him in his supplies of this first necessary, and 

 you leave him an easy prey to both. Is it otherwise with plants ? 

 Surely not — they too must be fed ; if nature does not supply 

 them liberally enough, the care of man must make good the defi- 

 ciency ; but until he knows ichat they require his efforts can 

 hardly fail of being in many cases abortive, or, where successful, 

 attended with unnecessary waste. 



And here we come to the point from which we started ; the 



