and Experiments on the Keeping Qualities of Roots. 175 
2 lbs. 7f ounces. On the 4th of July, the bulb weighed 2 lbs. 
~2\ ounces, and the tops 1 lb. 4£ ounces. 
Composition of tho Swede on the 4th of July. 
Bulb. 
Tops. 
Non-nitrogenous organic constituents 
91-75 
100 
644 
•86 
74-25 
3-56 
19-48 
2-71 
100-00 
100-00 
•16 
•57 
During this stage of growth, it will be noticed, the tops in- 
creased much in weight, and became dryer than during the 
fourth period of growth, whilst the root was more watery than 
at the time of planting. 
Before planting on the 19th of March, the bulb may be 
assumed to have contained : — 
Grains. 
Dry organic matter 1635 
Nitrogen in this 43*5 
Mineral matter (ash) 104 
When taken up on the 4th of July, I found : — 
Dry organic matter 
Nitrogen in this . . 
Mineral matter (ash) 
Total dry organic matter in bulb and tops 
,, nitrogen ,, „ 
,, mineral matter ,, ,, 
During the period of growth, the root lost 512 grains of drv 
organic matter, and in it 19*5 grains of nitrogen, whilst the 
assimilation of organic food from the atmosphere and the bulb, 
and of mineral matter drawn from the soil during this period, 
was very great. 
Altogether, the fifth swede, weighing before planting 2 lbs. Tr- 
ounces, and containing 1635 grains of organic, and 104 grains 
mineral matter, gained 1529 grains of organic matter, and 258 
grains of mineral matter ; or, in other words, the amount of solid 
matter in the bulb and tops, in round numbers, was twice as 
