31 . 
RESEARCHES OX THE COMPOSITION 
XVI. Lsaves and Grasses from Forests. 
Nearly every winter the forests are deprived by the 
farmers of the leaves cast off in autumn, and of the dry 
grasses, of which materials ash and compost are prepared 
for manuring purposes. Specimens of dry leaves of oaks 
(Quercus serrata, kunogi, and Quercus crispula, nara) and 
pine (Pin us Matsu, mats it), as well as the straw of Eulalia 
japonica ( kaya ), Imperata arundinacea (chi g ay a ) and bamboo 
grass (sasa) collected by Dr. E. Grasmann, professor in the 
college, and kindly delivered to us were analyzed by Mr. 
M. Nagaoka. Their composition was, as follows (per mille : 
Moisture . 
Oak 
leaves. 
132.8 
Pine 
leaves. 
119.2 
Grasses 
(straw). 
108.6 
Organic matter . 
822.6 
870.3 
815.0 
Ash . 
44.6 
20.5 
76.4 
Nitrogen . 
10.7 
4.3 
5.4 
Potash . 
. 1.98 
0.42 
2.25 
Soda . 
. 0.99 
0.36 
0.72 
Lime . 
17.80 
5.93 
4.31 
Magnesia ..... 
. 3.48 
1.69 
0.24 
Ferric oxide and alumina 
. 0.88 
1.78 
1.12 
Phosphoric acid . 
. 1.75 
2.95 
0.90 
Sulphuric acid . 
. 0.60 
0.51 
0.80 
Silica . 
. 14.69 
5.95 
6 1.92 
(Thlnrine* ... ..... 
The manurial value of these materials is, of course, not 
great. By taking them away from the forests and thus 
preventing that on the soil a good layer of humus is form¬ 
ed, the forests are certainly more injured than the fields are 
profiting from that manure. 
* Not determined. 
