172 On the Composition and Nutritive Properties of Swedes, 
Whilst the bulb had thus lost an appreciable amount of 
dry organic matter, which passed into the tops, there was a 
slight gain of total organic matter in the whole plant (bulb 
and tops). 
A fortnight later, that is, on the 29th of April, the second 
swede was removed from the land. Before planting on the 19th 
of March, it weighed 3 lbs. 10 ounces. Taken up about 6 weeks 
later, on the 29th of April, the bulb weighed 3 lbs. 3 ounces, 
and the tops 10 ounces. Bulb and tops were analysed on the 
29th of April, with the following results : — 
Composition of Swede on the 29th of April. 
Bulb. 
Tops. 
90-15 
85-70 
1-25 
3-44 
8-05 
9-82 
•55 
1-04 
100 -00 
100-00 
•20 
1-25 
Water 
'Albuminous compounds 
Non-nitrogenous organic constituents 
Mineral matter (ash) 
* Containing nitrogen 
During the second period of growth, about double the weight 
of tops formed in the first period was produced at the expense of 
the food stored up in the bulb. 
Assuming the bulb to have contained, before planting, 90 per 
cent, of water, -6 per cent, of ash, and -25 per cent, of nitrogen ; 
the second bulb weighing, before planting, 3 lbs. 10 ounces, 
would have contained — 
Grains. 
Dry organic matter 2385 
Nitrogen in this 63 "4 
Mineral matter (ash) 152 
On the 29th of April, I found : — 
In Bulb. 
In Tops. 
Grains. 
2075 
44-6 
123 
Grains. 
580 
24 
45-5 
Total dry organic matter in bulb and tops 
„ nitrogen „ „ 
„ mineral matter „ ,, 
Grains. 
2G55 
68-6 
168-5 
In the course of 6 weeks, the bulb, it will be seen, lost 310 
