of  the  Ashes  of  Plants. 
541 
Since  the  foregoing  was  in  the  press,  the  analysis  of  two  other 
grasses  has  been  completed  : the  results  are  as  follows  : — 
A vena  flavescens  (Yellow  oat-grass).  Soil — “Forest  marble”  loam.  Col- 
lected June  29th. 
Ilordeum  pratensc  (Meadow-barley).  Soil — Calcareous  loam  on  gravel.  Col- 
lected July  11th. 
Water.  Ash.  Ash  on  Dry. 
Avena  flavescens  . . . GO -40  • • 2-09  • • 5 -28 
Hordeum  pratense  . . . 58-85  ••  2*54  ••  6-18 
The  following  is  the  composition  of  these  grasses : — 
Avena 
flavescens. 
Hordeum 
pratense. 
Silica 
35-20 
56-23 
Phosphoric  Acid  . . . 
9-31 
6-04 
Sulphuric  Acid  . 
4-00 
4-29 
Carbonic  Acid  . . . 
• • 
• • 
Lime 
7-98 
5-04 
Magnesia 
3-07 
2-42 
Peroxide  of  Iron 
2-40 
•66 
Potash 
3G-06 
20-26 
Soda 
•73 
3-40 
Chloride  of  Potassium 
. . 
• . 
Chloride  of  Sodium  . 
1-25 
1-66 
100-00 
100-00 
It  thus  appears  that  the  ash  of  meadow-barley  contains  a far 
larger  per  centage  of  silica  than  any  other  of  the  grasses  yet  exa- 
mined ; and  it  may  be  that  to  its  existence  in  large  proportion  in 
the  meadow-grass  from  Farnham  should  be  attributed  the  highly 
silicious  character  of  that  ash. 
XXVII. — Diseases  of  Cattle  and  Sheep  occasioned  hj 
Mismanagement.  By  W.  Floyd  Kaukeek. 
Prize  Essay. 
Amongst  the  various  physical  agents  by  which  we  are  surrounded, 
and  whose  influences  are  particularly  exerted  upon  our  domes- 
ticated ruminants,  food  and  temperature  are  the  most  powerful. 
From  their  birth  these  animals  are  greatly  dependent  upon  the 
conditions  in  which  they  are  placed  for  the  future  development  of 
their  frames,  and  it  depends  chiefly  upon  the  care  with  which  they 
are  tended,  and  the  knowledge  by  which  that  care  is  guided, 
vol.  xt.  2 N 
