352 



ascertain accurately the constituents of each. I exposed them 

 to the action of the atmosphere, to ascertain the amount of 

 disintegration ; and with a careful analysis of the red clover 

 plant itself, I trust I am now in a position to point out to you 

 the true cause of this hitherto mysterious failure. 



You are fully aware that all plants are composed of ele- 

 mentary substances arranged in various ways, so as to form 

 their leaves, stems, and juices, — what these elements are, 

 and how much is contained in a given weight of produce, we 

 can easily ascertain by chemical analysis ; and as we know 

 positively that plants have not the power of creating one of 

 these elements themselves, they must be derived from the 

 media in which they live, namely, the air and the soil. This 

 air and soil, then, must contain all the constituents we find 

 in plants, in such a form as they can easily absorb them by 

 their roots, otherwise they can never come to perfection ; for 

 observation and experiment have taught us, that the absence 

 of any one of the constituents of plants precludes the possi- 

 bility of their so doing. 



The analysis of a fine healthy red clover plant, dried in 

 the air, and in the ordinary state of clover hay, gave me, in 

 100.000 parts— 



per cwt. lbs. per ton. 



lbs. oz. 



'Carbon 1 1 Volatile 



. Hydrogen ... >- 95.231... 2 133 3 ! constituents. 

 ] Oxygen .... J | lbs. oz. 



Nitrogen 2.946... 66 0 J 2199 3 



'Phosphorus 159 3 



Sulphur 107.. 



Derived 

 principally 

 from the air. 



Derived en- 



2 



Lime 621 14 



Magnesia .071 1 



tirely from \ Iron & Manganese .002. 



the soil. 



Potash 580 13 



Soda 201 4 



Chlorine 082 1 



. Silica Trace. 



91 

 5 

 0 

 9 

 1 

 0 

 8 

 13 



Fixed ingre- 

 dients or 

 ashes, 

 lbs. oz. 

 40 12 



100.000 2239 15 



