138 
Analyses of the Ashes of Plants. 
know in future how to avoid this error, and as we have retained 
specimens we shall, by a very little trouble, be enabled to intro- 
duce a correction for this substance in all the important analyses 
that have been published in our previous reports.* 
In order that those who are conversant with the processes of 
analytical chemistry may feel full confidence in the results of our 
inquiries, we insert in an appendix an account of some of the 
more important experiments. 
The analyses which follow comprehend specimens of sainfoin, 
Italian rye-grass, and red and white clover, three specimens of 
the flower of the hop, and a series of beans and peas grown on 
different soils. 
We give, first, the analysis of a specimen of white and another 
of red clover grown on clay, and of the same plants grown on 
silicious sand. 
The specimens were received from Mr. J. C. Morton, of 
Whitfield. The soils upon which they were grown are on one of 
the beds of the Silurian series. In 1843 the land was drained 
and broken up from old grass — in 1844 the crop was oats — in 
1845 mangold-wurzel (well manured with horse-dung) — 1846, 
wheat 32 bushels to the acre — in 1847 the clover. 
The specimens of clover were dried in the air until they at- 
tained the condition of ordinary new-made hay ; in this state they 
still retained a considerable portion of water, as is seen in the 
following table : — 
Percentage of Water and Ash in four specimens of Clover Hay. 
Red C 
LOVEli. 
White Clover, 
Silicious 
Sand. 
Clay. 
Silicious 
Sand. 
Clay. 
Ash calculated on the dry . 
13-97 
6- 77 
7- 87 
12-20 
7- 12 
8- 11 
12-eo 
7- 70 
8- 81 
12-00 
7- 61 
8- C5 
The next table exhibits the composition of these several ashes, 
to which is added the mean composition of the two varieties. 
* Tf it be necessary to plead any extenuation of an omission of which 
all previous ash analysts have been guilty, we may refer to a high authority, 
Boussingault, who distinctly .states, as the result of experiment, that sulphur 
is 7)nt lost in the combustion of plants. — Bomsingault, French edit., vol. ii. 
p. 231. 
