1871.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
219 
of organic chemistry, in which the methods of 
analysis, though certain and beautiful, are too 
complex to be clearly demonstrated here; it is 
enough to say, that during the first stages of 
the combustion, and while the heat is compara- 
Fig. 3. —BEAKER. Fig. 4.— EVAPORATING DISH. 
tively low, the nitrogen is driven off; nitric acid 
and ammonia being formed, both of which re¬ 
main suspended in the moisture of the atmos¬ 
phere, from w'hence it is returned to growing 
plants through the roots or leafy lungs. Before 
increasing the heat, let U3 examine our grains. 
They have become black, and resemble small 
lumps of charcoal, which is one of the forms of 
pure carbon, and as carbon is the principal con¬ 
stituent of all animal or vegetable substances so 
far examined, we have a right to believe that it 
is also present in the wheat-grains; but there 
must be no guessing in so important an investi¬ 
gation; hence we will settle the question by 
actual experiment. It has been previously de¬ 
termined that when pure charcoal is heated in 
the open air, it will slowly disappear; the car¬ 
bon uniting with the oxygen of the air, forming 
carbonic acid gas, which plays the same part in 
the vegetable economy that oxygen does in the 
animal. Now there are certain tests by which 
the chemist can determine whether a gas be car¬ 
bonic acid or not; we apply one of these tests to 
some of the gas collected from above the burn¬ 
ing grains, and it answers the reaction, as it is 
termed; hence we know that the substance 
which remained after the first burning was 
chiefly carbon. We say chiefly , because we will 
discover, after burning all the carbon off, that 
there remains behind a grayish white powder, 
which is not reduced in quantity or changed in 
color by continued heating. After removing 
the lamp and allowing the capsule to cool, we 
weigh it again; the amount not consumed will 
be found to be about 3 per cent of the whole, 
and we call it inorganic or mineral matter. 
Since the question which engages our atten¬ 
tion relates particularly to those mineral sub¬ 
stances most needed in a general fertilizer, we 
will proceed at once to analyze this grayish 
powder, which contains all the involatile con¬ 
stituents of the wheat-grain. It is evident that 
in order to conduct an analysis of this character, 
it is desirable that the substance under exam¬ 
ination be reduced to a fluid state—that is, that 
it be dissolved in some suitable solvent. Now, 
as it is probable that this powder contains some 
substances which it may be difficult to dissolve 
directly in pure water, we will remove it from 
the capsule to a glass vessel, called a beaker, 
and having poured over it some strong muriatic 
acid, place it upon a thin iron plate containing 
sand, over the flame, and supported upon a 
stand, as shown in fig. 3. 
When the last traces have disappeared, which 
may require several hours of continued heating, 
we will transfer the acid liquid, which contains 
the powder in solution, to a saucer-shaped 
porcelain evaporating dish (fig. 4). The reason 
for this second operation will be apparent when 
we state, that among the most' frequently pres¬ 
ent of all mineral substances is silica, which ap¬ 
pears in its pure state in the quartz crystal, 
forming also the chief constituent of sand, and 
therefore existing to a greater or less extent in 
all soils. It is this which gives to wheat-straw 
its gritty feeling, while the surface of those pe¬ 
culiar reeds, once used for scouring, is, as it 
were, paved with it. Since of so general occur¬ 
rence in the soil, and as it is also found in the 
animal system, it is natural that w r e apply a test 
to answer if any has found its way into the 
wheat-grain, and, if so, we will remove and 
weigh it. In order to determine this, it is 
necessary to evaporate our solution to dry¬ 
ness in the manner indicated in figure 4. 
When all the free acid has been driven 
off, the solid substances, including the silica, 
will remain in the dish as a white powder; we 
now add more of the acid and water, when, if 
there be silica present, it will not dissolve a 
second time, but remain so mixed with the 
liquid as to require another process for its re¬ 
moval. This is effected by pouring the liquor 
upon a filter of unsized paper, carefully fitted 
into a glass funnel. To effect this transfer 
Fig. 5.—FILTERS ANB FILTERING. 
safely, a glass rod is used in the manner shown 
in fig. 5, which also shows the form of the paper 
filter, and manner of folding. 
When the liquor has all passed through the 
filter into the beaker beneath, pure water is 
added by means of a chemist’s wash-bottle, in 
order to wash out from the paper any of the 
remaining fluid, and leave the silica on the 
filter pure and clean. The funnel is then care¬ 
fully covered, and placed in the drying-box (fig. 
1), and when the filter is dry, the silica is care¬ 
fully removed by means of a feather to an or¬ 
dinary watch crystal, and weighed, when it will 
be found to represent about 3 per cent of the 
whole weight of the ash. We now return to 
the liquor contained in the beaker, and add to 
it enough liquid ammonia to neutralize the acid, 
and then a small amount of oxalic acid in the 
form of oxalate of ammonia. After boiling and 
allowing to stand over night, a white powder 
will be discovered at the bottom, which is ox¬ 
alate of lime. We remove this by means of 
the filter, as we did the silica; its weight will 
indicate about 3 per cent of lime. By the same 
general method we might remove the phos¬ 
phoric acid, potash, magnesia, etc., and our final 
report would be very similar to the following 
“ analysis of the ash from the white wheat: ” 
Potash. 29.97 Sulphuric acid. 0.33 
Soda.. 3.90 Silica. 3.35 
Magnesia. 12.20 Oxide of iron... 0.79 
Lime;. 3.44 - 
Phosph. acid.. 46.02 Total. 100.00 
Having once decided the question as to what 
mineral substances are represented in the wheat- 
grain, and knowing the relation they bear to 
those which are found in the body, the conclu¬ 
sion naturally follows that what the body gets 
from the grain, the grain must obtain from the 
soil; and as frequently this soil contains but a 
limited amount of the desired substances, it is 
evident that in order to secure a healthy and 
vigorous growth, due attention must be paid to 
this demand. It is with these facts in mind 
that the intelligent farmer resorts to the appli¬ 
cation of “ mineral fertilizers.” 
- - • ■ i .. 
The Management of Clover Hay. 
Clover should be mowed as soon as it is well 
in blossom. There is no necessity to wait for a 
brown head; there will be plenty to be seen 
before the crop is well down. Cut when the 
dew is off, and allow to dry until afternoon, 
when it should be shaken up and turned before 
the dew falls. If a tedder is employed, its 
constant use will fit the clover to be put in 
cocks the same day. If turned by hand, it may 
lie until the noon of next day, when it may be 
put in cocks, made as high and narrow as pos¬ 
sible; they will shed rain better in this shape, 
and, if caps are used, a yard square will be suf¬ 
ficiently large to cover them. Caps are to be 
strongly recommended, and the above size is 
sufficient, as the top only needs protection. 
Put up, and, thus protected, the hay may stay 
in the field until it is all made, when it may be 
hauled together. If any cock should be damp 
inside, spread for a few minutes; it will dry 
rapidly. Clover cured in the cock is much 
more valuable than that dried in the sun, 
and wastes less in handling. Put away the 
first cut hay by itself, in a place convenient for 
use in the spring. Cows coming in early in 
the spring will thrive on this hay; the milk will 
be largely increased in quantity, and be richer 
in quality, while the butter will come easily, be 
free from white curdy specks, and in color 
will not be far behind that from June grass. 
Sowing and Curing Corn Fodder. 
Corn, planted after the first week in June, is 
likely to be caught by an early frost and in¬ 
jured. Rather than plant later than this period, 
it would be much better to sow it for fodder. 
One acre sown with three bushels of corn, 
in drills three feet apart, and kept well culti¬ 
vated, will yield as much feed on land of equal 
quality as three acres of clover or grass. We 
have heard of nine tons of cured fodder being 
taken from a single acre. Of course this must 
have been on exceedingly rich land; but why 
could not any farmer make one or two acres 
rich enough to do this for himself? We have 
cut at the rate of four tons per acre, and the 
crop did not look well enough to satisfy us. If 
the seed is dropped at the rale of twelve grains 
to-the foot, and twelve cured stalks weigh a 
pound, which they should do if five or six feet 
high, and as thick as one’s little finger, the crop 
would yield nearly seven tons per acre. A 
little care, and plenty of manure, would secure 
this result. As soon as the blossom appears, 
