Analyses of Ashes of Plants. 



195 



That the numbers in the 1st table should bear a general 

 resemblance to each other is not singular, inasmuch as neither 

 the per centage of ash nor its composition is subject to much 

 variation. 



That the 2nd table should exhibit considerable variation is 

 evident from the per centage of ash being so dissimilar, more 

 particularly in the 1st and 3rd columns. 



There is a certain consistency even here ; the per centage of 

 ash in the leaf of the three specimens is, in each case^ the con- 

 verse of that in the bulb. The higher the ash in the leaf the less 

 is the quantity in the bulb. This circumstance, however, is not 

 sufficient to overcome the preponderance of ash. in No. 112, as 

 will be seen by the following table : — 



Table 21. — Mineral Matter in a ton of entire crop of Carrot. 



No. of Specimen , 



112 



113 



114 



Mean 

 of 



the three 

 Specimens. 



Variety. 



White Belgian. 



White 

 Belgian. 



White 

 Belgian. 



Relation of Root to Leafj 



R. 76 at 77 ash 

 L.24 „ 5-32 „ 



81- -82 

 19-4*20 



81- -92 

 19-2-85 





Silica 



Phosphoric Acid . 

 Sulphm-ic Acid 



Magnesia .... 

 Peroxide of Iron , 

 Potash ... 



Chloride of Soda . 

 Chloride of Potassium . 



2-29 



1- 84 



2- 80 

 11-68 



1-20 

 1-30 

 6-91 

 4-44 



3- 60 



0- 50 



1- 37 



2- 03 

 6-75 

 1-00 

 0-40 

 5-54 

 4-48 

 4-20 



0- 89 



1- 69 



2- 30 

 6-21 



1- 37 

 0-50 

 4-35 

 4-06 



2- 84 



1-22 



1- 63 



2- 37 

 8*21 

 1*19 

 0-73 

 5-60 

 4-33 



3- 55 



36-08 



26-27 



24-21 



28-83 



The 2nd and 3rd columns of this table are, in many respects, 

 very similar both as to each individual substance and in the final 

 result. Specimen No. 113 contains rather more potash, soda^ and 

 common salt than No. 114; but Specimen No. 112 is unlike 

 either of the others, more especially in the total quantity of 

 mineral matter : this arises from two causes ; its leaf has a very 

 large ash, and there is a greater proportion of the leaf in the 

 entire plant. Were the calculation based upon the supposition 

 that the leaf is in the same proportion to the bulb, as in the other 

 instances, one-half of the total difference would be done away 

 with ; but, besides that candour would not admit of a proceeding 

 like this, there would still be a great excess of mineral matter in 

 No. 112. 



We would rather, however, be inclined to attribute this want of 



o 2 



