and Experiments on the Keeping Qualities of Boots. 171 
The bull) and tops were analysed on the same day with the 
following results : — 
Composition of Swede on the 14th of April. 
Bulb. 
Tops. 
Water 
Non-nitrogenous organic matters 
90-20 
•94 
8-23 
•63 
83-3G 
4-38 
11-25 
101 
100-00 
100-00 
•15 
•70 
On comparing the composition of the swede on the 14th of 
April with the average composition of the roots before planting, 
it will be seen that a considerable proportion of the nitrogenous 
constituents of the root had passed into the tops. 
Assuming that the root before planting contained 90 per cent, 
of water, *6 per cent, of mineral matter, and "25 per cent, of 
nitrogen, the bulb weighing 3 lbs. 7^ ounces, would have con- 
tained on the 19th of March : — 
Grains. 
Dry organic matter 2272 
Nitrogen in this 60 
Mineral matter (ash) 145 
On the 14th of April, I found : — 
Dry organic matter 
Nitrogen in this 
Mineral matter (ash) 
Total dry organic matter in bulb and tops 
„ nitrogen ,, „ 
„ mineral ,, „ 
In Bulb. 
Grains. 
1966 
32 
135 
In Tops. 
Grains. 
376 
17 
24 
Grains. 
2342 
49 
159 
During that period the root had consequently lost 306 grains 
of dry organic matter and 10 grains of mineral matter, and 
this loss of organic matter included 28 grains of nitrogen. 
The loss of 306 grains of organic matter, it will be seen, was 
transferred to the tops, which during the same period assimilated 
70 grains additional dry organic matter from the atmosphere ; 
and besides the transfer of the loss of mineral matter from the 
bulb, they took up 14 grains of mineral matter from the soil. 
