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1.19 per cent., and 1.22 per cent. The phosphoric acid is almost as 
constant, its limits being, as a rule, within 1 per cent., as the series 
taken October 13, in which we have 8.05 per cent., 8.67 per cent., 
and 7.50 per cent., may illustrate. It was then evident, that, so far 
as my own series was concerned, the variations in the composition 
of the ashes were to be looked for in the chlorin and the alkalies. 
We obtain a clear view, in regard to the amount of alkalies present, 
by comparing the alkalies in the different samples after we have 
eliminated the sand, the carbon dioxid, and the organic matter; 
when we find, for a series of six ashes, the following figures : 64.08 
per cent., 64.32 per cent., 63.79 per cent., 62.23 per cent., 62.30 per 
cent., and 63.24 per cent. There is here a general rule, holding, at 
least for my samples, i. e , that the total alkalies amount to about 
63 per cent of the ash. The percentages of chlorin in the series of 
six ashes from which the figures for the alkalies have been taken, 
present one exception ; the percentages are as follows : 13.6 1 per cent., 
7.30 per cent., 15.08 per cent., 15.53 per cent., 15.16 per cent., and 
15.90 per cent. Owing to the one exception, I will give six others, 
in two series of three each, one series taken September 22, and the 
other October 13. Neither has been corrected for carbon dioxid, etc. 
The September series gave: 11.49 percent., 12.82 per cent., and 
14.41 per cent., the October series gave 14.96 percent., 12.60 percent., 
and 13.56 per cent. 
We conclude that the ash of the beet, that is the root, has a 
pretty uniform composition, represented by the following percentages, 
the carbon dioxid, organic matter, and sand, included : For sul- 
phuric acid, about 3.5 per cent.; for phosphoric acid, from 7 to 9 per 
cent., mostly about 8.5 per cent.; for the alkalies, from 48 to 52 per 
cent.; for lime, from 2 to 3 per cent.; for magnesia, about 6 per 
cent., and for chlorin, from 11.50 to 14.50 per cent., while the car- 
bon dioxid does not vary by more than 1 per cent, from 15 per 
cent, of the fine ash. 
It is easily recognized that either all of our soils had the same 
effect upon the ashes of the different samples, or the composition of 
the ash of the beet root is really constant, and is but little effected 
by the variety of soil. I believe the latter to be the case, 7. e., that 
the variation in the general composition of the ash of the beet root 
is constant within narrow limits, and is not materially affected, be- 
yond those limits, by the character of the soil. 
I, unfortunately, have almost no analyses of beet ashes at my 
disposal, and the few I have cannot be reduced to any common basis, 
and lose much of the value that they might otherwise have. The 
best I have is an average analysis taken from Wolff’s ‘‘Aschen An- 
alysen.” According to this, the alkalies amount to 66 per cent, of 
the ash, carbon dioxid, etc., rejected, the lime and magnesia together 
to 11.5 per cent., phosphoric acid 11 per cent., sulphuric acid 4 per 
cent., but the chlorin is only 5 per cent. 
