“Fully dried in a water-bath, the roots were found to contain altogether 44.67 per cent of water, and on being burnt in a platinum capsule, yielded 6.089 of ash. A portion of the dried, finely powdered and well mixed roots, was burned with soda lime, in a combustion tube, and the nitrogen contained in the roots otherwise determined in the usual way. Accordingly, the following is the general composition of the roots from the soil No. 1: Water 44.675 Organic matter* 49.236 Mineral matter 6.089 ------- 100.000 ======= * Containing nitrogen 1.297 Equal to ammonia 1.575 “Assuming the whole field to have produced 3½ tons of clover-roots, per acre, there will be 99.636 lbs., or in round numbers, 100 lbs. of nitrogen in the clover-roots from one acre; or, about twice as much nitrogen as is present in the average produce of an acre of wheat.” “That is a remarkable fact,” said the Deacon, “as I understand nitrogen is the great thing needed by wheat, and yet the _roots_ alone of the clover, contain twice as much nitrogen as an average crop of wheat. Go on Charley, it is quite interesting.” “The soil,” continues Dr. Vœlcker, “which had been separated from the roots, was passed through a sieve to deprive it of any stones it might contain. It was then partially dried, and the nitrogen in it determined in the usual manner, by combustion with soda-lime, when it yielded .313 per cent of nitrogen, equal to .38 of ammonia, in one combustion; and .373 per cent of nitrogen, equal to .46 of ammonia, in a second determination. “That the reader may have some idea of the character of this soil, it may be stated, that it was further submitted to a general analysis, according to which, it was found to have the following composition: General Composition of Soil, No. 1. (Good Clover). Moisture 18.73 Organic matter* 9.72 Oxide of iron and alumina 13.24 Carbonate of lime 8.82 Magnesia, alkalies, etc. 1.72 Insoluble silicious matter, (chiefly clay) 47.77 ------- 100.00 ======= * Containing nitrogen .313 Equal to ammonia .380 “The second square yard from the brow of the hill, where the clover was bad, produced 13 ounces of air-dry, and partially clean roots, or 1.75 tons per acre. On analysis, they were found to have the following composition: Clover-Roots, No. 2. (Bad Clover).