Analyses of the Ashes of Plants. 
Ill the foll()win£j experiments it was sought to compare the 
chlorine of ashes obtained at different temperatures : — 
.300 grains of another specimen of powdered turnip were burnt 
to ash over the air-flame of a gas-lamp ; the ash was treated with 
nitric acid and water, and the residue of charcoal, &c. again 
burnt until it was perfectly white; the liquid precipitated by 
nitrate of silver gave l']80 chloride of silver, equal to "290 
chlorine. 
A second experiment on 300 grains, performed as nearly as 
possible in the same way, gave 1 • 270 chloride of silver, equal to 
•313 chlorine. 
In a third experiment the 300 grains of turnip were burnt to 
ash in the laboratory furnace; the temperature in this case was 
lar higher than in the two former experiments, and the ash remained 
lused for some time. It yielded, when treated as in the former 
cases, 1 '070 chloride of silver, equal to -264 of chlorine. 
The experiment may be thus stated : — 
Chlorine on 1000 grains of dry turnip. 
Burnt at a low temperature without 1 1st Experiment '960 
fusion of the ash J 2nd ,, 1'040 
Burnt at a high temperature with considerable fusion 1 con 
of the ash J 
The two first results are almost identical ; the third gives cer- 
tainly less than the true quantity of chlorine, but it is to be under- 
stood that the temperature was purposely allowed to become much 
higher than is at all necessary, and even in these conditions the 
loss is comparatively small. In the following experiments the 
substance was in each case burned as nearly as possible at the 
temperature usually employed in the preparation of ashes: — 
.000 grains of powdered turnip* were burned at a moderate 
heat in the furnace. It yielded 2-240 of chloride of silver, 
equal to "5525 chlorine, or 1*1050 on 1000 grains of the dry 
turnl]). 
A second quantity of 500 grains burnt at the same temperature. 
It gave 2*190 chloride of silver, equal to "5402 chlorine, or 
J -0804 on 1000 grains of turnip. 
This difference is plainly within the limits of error of experi- 
ment, and we must consider the results as identical. It is there- 
fore quite possible to obtain coincident results in regard to chlorine 
by careful burning. The following experiments indicate the 
amount of loss occurring when an unusually high temperature is 
employed : — 
* The same specimen as the last, but by remaining in a warm room it 
bad become somewhat drier; hence the trifling increase iu per centage of 
chlorine. 
