Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-18
AGRICULTURAL PAPERS.
A SERIES PREPARED ESPECIALLY PoR
THE "REcoRp-UaIoH.s
Presenting Instruction Contained In Leot
urss from the Chair Of Agricult-
ure, State Uutvsrsity.

TkeSeutluS AuStIucs&on SOuthlueo In Lect-
urss from the Chair Of Agricult-
urs, State Uutvsrsity.
SIXTH PAPRR-THB ASH OF PLANTs-rrs IN
GRADIENTS or POTASSIUM
-soDIUM-CHRAr.
The ash of plant is that portion which
remains after the plant has undergone the
process Of combustion. This fixed portion,
most of which was part OF the organized
structure of the plant, and hence was
once organic matter, but which has by the
process of combustion been disorganized,
has been termed the inorganic portion of
the plant. The combustible part of plants
makes up from rs to SO per cent. of the
whole bulk Of the air-dIied plant, while
the amount of ash left by green plants is
extremely small. Owing to the great pre-
ponderance of the combustible portion of
plants it appeared to many as if the inor-
ganic substances Of the plant were of acct
dental occurrence, and of very little
| account in the economy of plant
life. 1t was thought that the plant,
in imbibing water which held in solution
the ash ingredients, was only seeking for
| the water, and that it was immaterial to
| the growth of the plant whether the water
held these ash ingredients or not. 1t has
been demonstrated by many experiments
that the functions of roots include the
procuring of inorganic matter for the ash
as we'll as the absorption of water. Were
the ash ingredients accidental in the plant
structure, instead of being sought for by
the roots, the kind and quantity of the
ash ingredients should be directly proper
tional to the composition of the soil and
the composition of the ash of all plants
grown on the same soil might be expected
to be very similar. Analysis of the ash of
/ different plants grown under varying con-
ditions show that particular kind OF
plant, if it has a thrifty and healthy
growth, and if it fairly ripens its seeds,
| will furnish ash of very like quantity and
quality irrespective of
THE COMPOSITION OF THE SOIL.
OF course if coil has a superabundance
OF certain inorganic substance it is more
than likely that . plant grown on such soil
would contain more OF tnat particular sub.
stance than the same kind OF plant grown
on normal soil for instance, by simply
tasting the marsh grass on the sea shore we
can readily perceive that the saltiness
| gradually diminishes as we recede from the
shore, but were the ash OF the plants ana.
| lived it would be found that the compost
| ton of the ash of the plant grown near the
sea would not differ essentially from that
of the same kind of plant grown at dis
lance, except in the quantity of the ingre-
dents of salt. 1t has been demonstrated
that the ash of different species OF plants
differ, even though the plants are grown on
| the same soil, and that this difference In
creases with the increase in the differeL ce of
the natural affinities OF the several species
Observation seems to indicate that plants can
neither have healthy growth, nor mature
their several parts, without access to the
inorganic constituents of the ash; and
there seems to be no good grounds to
doubt but that these ash ingredients are
really essential to perfect plant develop
ment. The ingredients of the ash are SO
numerous as to make it impossible for US to
consider them all in detail There are ten
substances which are invariably found in
the ash of all plants. These are potas-
stun, sodium, calcium Qine), magnesium,
iron and chiorhydric, sulphuric, phos-
phoric, silcic and carbonic acids. These
are almost always found as salts, e., com.
binations of bases with acids. These salts
are mostly carbonates, sulphates, phos.
pilates and chlorides. OF the carbonates
those of potassium, sodium and cal
cium are found in the ash, while the car
Donates of magnesium and iron are decom-
posed by the heat during combustion, thus
leaving simply the oxides of magnesium
and iron in the ash.
COMPOUNDS OF POTASSIUM.
Potassium is found in plants and soils in
bonc, sulnhuric chlorhydrie. nitric. oxalic,
tartaric and citric acids. 1t forms with
these, respectively, potash, and carbonates,
sulphates, chlorides. nitrates, oxalates, tar
trates and citrates of potassium. Carbon
ate of potassium is found in tolerable
pure state in commerce as pearl.a This
is simply the purified potash which is made
by evaporating the washings from ash kilus.
The pear ssh must be still further purified
before being fit for use in chemical labora-
tories. Carbonate of potassium dissolves
in water, imparting to it characteristic al
kaline taste and properties. In contact
with acids, carbonic acid is given off and
potassium salt is formed with the stronger
acid. Carbonate of potassium has for
long time been known to greatly In
| fiuence the growth OF crops. While wood
ashes contain other substances OF value to
vegetable growth, the principal and i'm
mediate effects produced are largely due
to the carbonate OF potassium In the ashes.
If carbonate of potassium be deprived of
it's carbonic acid we will have an oxide of
potassium left. This combines with water
to form the caustic potash of commerce,
which is found in the chemical laboratories
in the form OF sticks of white, hard sub
stance, which readily absorbs moisture,
and which deliouesces in contact with the
water and carbonic acid OF the atmosphere,
forming a liquid carbonate of potash.
Caustic potash dlssolves readily in water
forming solution which will dissolve most
animal and vegetable substances, and
which, if strong, viii, if brought in contact
with the skin, produce a painful SORE
Potash does not as far as known, occur in
the caustic state in nature ; it therefore
probably exercises no direct influence upon
NATURAL VEGETATION.
Ii, however, the wood ashes which are APP
piled to the soil be mixed with lime, it is
quite probable that portion of the potas-
sum which is contained in the ashes will
be converted into the caustic state. Tals
caustic potash, if formed, dissolves the
vegetable matter of the soil with which it
comes in contact, thus making it more i'm
msdiately available to the plant. Owing
to the fact that lime clnnot deprive the
carbonate of potassium OF its carbonic
acid unless the carbonate be very dilute,
it is hardly probable that any large amount
of the carstic potash can be formed at
once. With sulphuric acid potash forms a
sulphate of potassium. THIS is white,
saline substance, but slightly soluble in
water and having disagreeable. bitterish
taste. It is found in considerable quantities
in wood ash and as animpurity in the common
potash and pearl ash OF commerce, and
composes about Is per cent. by weight of
alum, which is double sulphate of potas-
SUM and aluminium Potash forms with
oh aid cnlnri1a Nf potoos;nrn