564 
Examination of Cabbage. 
It becomes sensible by its odor in the fresh plant, by exposing the 
leaves to the drying process at a low temperature. 
Comparative view of the ash in ike Jive preceding varieties. 
Per centage of ash in the fresli plant, - 
do do do dried do . 
Ash in a ton of the fresh plant, 
do do do dried do . 
Drum 
Head. 
•790 
G.969 
15-8lbs. 
Savoy. 
Red 
Icabbage 
•890 I -930 
e^fiOS 7-095 
17-8lbs. ISOlbs. 
139 33 132 1 153 9 
Cauli. 
flower. 
1520 
10 629 
30-4lbs. 
212 58 
Turnip 
cabbage 
•805 
1)086 
10 libs. 
181 72 
The per centage of ash in the cauliflower is greater, and at the 
same time richer in phosphoric acid and soda, than in either of 
the other kinds. A deficiency of these bodies in the soil may be 
one reason why this plant does not generally thrive better. The 
savoy contains the smallest proportion of ash, but ranks next to 
the cauliflower in the per centage of phosphoric acid it contains. 
It will be seen by referring to the inorganic analyses, that all 
of the varieties examined are peculiarly rich in the phosphates 
and sulphates of the alkalies. These four bodies, as it will be 
seen in the Ibllowing table, make up from 70 to 90 per cent of 
their ash. 
Comparative view of the phosphoric and sidphnric acids arid the alkalies in 
the ash of the five varieties examined. 
Per centage of sulphuric acid, - 
do phosphoric do 
do potash, 
do soda, 
Drum Oo,.^,, 
Head. S^^°y- 
Red 
cabbage. 
Cauli- 
flower. 
10-449 15-811 14-849 9-79 
11-870 20-825 ] 0-110: 28-65 
20-078 17-525 20-203 18-41 
30-1161 23-366 26-U37 33-44 
72-513 77-527 
72-099 
90-29 
Turnip 
cabbage 
9-970 
16-925 
21-.575 
27-840 
|i 76-210 
In every instance the soda exceeds the potash by about one- 
third. It is an old custom to sprinkle salt upon the leaves of the 
cabbage, to facilitate the process of heading. I do not know 
whether this operates upon the plant by entering its circulation 
after being washed into the soil, or whether it acts mechanically 
upon the leaves causing them to fold up. We may, however, 
know from the composition of the ash of the plant, that soda as 
w^ell as potash with sulphuric and phosphoric acids form essential 
constituents of its food. 
These four bodies occur in the cauliflower more largely, as it 
will be seen above, than in either of the other varieties. In this 
plant they make up about 90 per cent of its ash, while in the 
other kinds they form from 72 to 78 per cent. 
