198 



Analyses of Ashes of Plants. 



casein^ &c.) are associated with the most valuable mineral ele- 

 ments of vegetation, phosphorus, magnesia, and the alkalies. 

 No plant, therefore, which was wanting in those mineral matters 

 could by any possibility be valuable in the feeding of stock, both 

 from the circumstances just mentioned and from the absence of 

 the bodies which are required for the formation of bone. 



And again, a crop deficient in mineral matters itself would 

 do but little for the crop succeeding it ; it would add nothing to 

 the mineral resources of the soil. This is indeed too much the 

 case with the turnip; it does not labour; it feeds if you give it 

 food, but it remains a stunted and sickly plant unless it readily 

 meet with a supply for its wants. It is, however, no little recom- 

 mendation to the turnip that mineral nourishment is necessary for 

 it, because its imperative demands being supplied, provision is 

 made for a double supply to the white crop, mineral and vege- 

 table sustenance being in this manner supplied to it. 



The carrot, on the other hand, is no way less valuable as food 

 lor stock ; indeed it may be questioned, from the greater quantity 

 of solid matter which our analyses indicate, whether it would not 

 be more valuable, weight for weight, than turnips. It is said to 

 be much relished by stock, and its chemical character would re- 

 commend it as an easily digestible nutritious diet. There may 

 be practical obj ections to its more extensive introduction into field 

 culture, for it is said to be an expensive crop in cultivation. One 

 point must be borne in mind — the carrot, though it gets food 

 from the subsoil, does not seek it all there ; it of course exhausts 

 the surface soil as well, and it must in consequence be eaten on 

 the spot, or if taken to the yard, the manure must be returned, 

 which is the same thing in the end ; the crop must not be sold off 

 the farm without return of any kind. When it is considered that 

 a crop of carrots of 16 or 17 tons, with 3 tons of leaves, will take 

 from the soil about 30 lbs. of phosphoric acid, 50 lbs. sulphuric 

 acid, 22 lbs. magnesia, 1 cwt. of potash, f cwt. of soda, and 

 66 lbs. of common salt — a great deal more of these bodies than is 

 removed by the largest grain crops — it may be believed that, 

 however great a portion of this may be obtained from the subsoil, 

 much must be derived from the available working soil, if indeed 

 it exist there. 



We think that it will be needless to offer any apology for occu- 

 pying the pages of the Journal with one or two more tables ex- 

 hibiting comparative views of the composition of the roots which 

 have been described ; such tables will serve to place the whole 

 subject in review, and help to the formation of general conclu- 

 sions. The following table exhibits the average composition 

 of the ash of turnip, beet, and carrot. It must be remembered 

 that the numbers are the results of six analyses of the bulb and 

 six of the top of turnips — of three analyses of the bulb, and three 



