Analyses of Ashes of Plants. 



191 



to be correct in his view of the action of salt, the free use of 

 turnips, and still more of mangold, must lead to similar results. 

 Here again the same remark will apply, as that which was made 

 relative to the varying value of turnip crops raised by artificial 

 manures. 



Let us suppose that it is not denied that salt is injurious to 

 cows in calf or milch-cows, and to ewes before and after the 

 lambing season ; and let us further admit that, from the quantity 

 of salt they contain, turnips and mangold must be chargeable 

 with the same prejudicial effects. Are we then necessarily and at 

 once to be deprived of these valuable articles of food in so very 

 considerable a portion of their present application? Certainly 

 not ; but it behoves us to inquire how we can do away with the 

 evil. Fortunately common salt is a very soluble body ; and al- 

 though steeping of the bulbs in water would not, we fear, remove 

 it, it is most probable that boiling or steaming the turnips would 

 have the effect of dissolving out much of the objectionable sub- 

 stance.* In the latter method it would be necessary that all the 

 condensed steam should have free opportunity of escaping from 

 the turnips ; and the more minutely these were divided the more 

 perfect would be the separation of the salt. We do not recom- 

 mend these plans ; we do not even say that any precaution of the 

 kind is necessary ; but if it be so, some such plan would save the 

 necessity of discontinuing the use of turnips and mangold in the 

 particular cases before mentioned. 



Of Carrots. 



The only variety of carrot which we have examined is the White 

 Belgian. It would of course be well to possess analyses of other 

 important varieties of this root, and we shall at a future time 

 make good the deficiency. A review of the crops already de- 

 scribed, and a careful comparison of those whose peculiarities we 

 are about to discuss, would, however, make it questionable whether 

 any great results would follow from the examination of other 

 varieties. 



* BoiissingauH has lately published ('Annales de Chimle et de Phy- 

 sique,' May 1847) an account of some experiments made by him on the 

 use of salt. Two lots of young beasts were fed during about four winter 

 months, with an unlimited supply of hay and beet ; to the one lot salt was 

 given. _ Boussingault found that the quantity of food consumed, and the 

 live weight produced was the same in both instances, and no way in- 

 fluenced by the use of salt with their food; the animals which received 

 salt drank, however, nearly twice as much water daily. He attributes ab- 

 sence of any effect from the use of salt in this case to the quantity of that 

 substance actually administered in the food. The above observations 

 were written before we had seen an account of Boussingault's experi- 

 ments. 



