MESS-R8 MAYER AKL) BRAZTER ON THE VIII.-Analyses of the mineral constituents of the Flax plant and of the soils on which the plants had been grown. By J. E.MAYERai2d J S. BRAZIER, E~QRS. The daily increasing extent to which flax is cultivated by the farmer necessarily directed the attention of chemists to the analysis of this plant soon after the importance of the mineral constituents strangely neglected for a considerable period had been generally acknowledged by the scientific agriculturist. We owe to Sir Robert Kane two excellent papers containing the analyses both of the ashes of different specimens of flax and of the soils on which they had been cultivated.* These specimens had been grown principally in Belgium and Holland where the greatest care is taken in preparing and manuring the land.The analyses which we intend to communicate in the following pages were made with * Philosophical Magazine vol. XXXI. p. 43. MINERAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE FLAX PLANT. different specimens of Russian growth. They were supplied to us by Dr. Hofmann,* under whose guidance we have worked throughout. The localities from which we have obtained our specimens of Flax are the Russian districts known as Esthonia or Estland Livonia or Lievland Courland and Lithuania. The first of these districts with the second and third mentioned are situated on the eastern shores of the Baltic; the fourth Lithuania is the only inland country. These countries extend from 48O to 60° north latitude and from ZP to 28O east longitude.The plan we adopted for the preparation of the ash was the following :-A handful of stems after being inflamed were held over a porcelain dish and allowed to burn gently. The ashes collected in the dish by this process in one or two instances were remarkably white; however in order to free them still more from the remaining carbon they were placed small quantitiea at a time in a platinum dish over a gentle gas flame. In this manner also the sulphides formed in the process of combustion were entirely reconverted into sulphates. This conversion was proved by experiment previous to analysis. In order to hasten the latter part of the process the Lithuanian and Estland ashes were burned with protoxide of mercury. The general analyses were performed in the usual manner :-the experimental numbers in Table I.shew the quantities of substance employed the results from which are exhibited in Table 11. * I am indebted for these specimens to the kindness of Mr. Arthur Marshall of Leeds who had them sent from Russia for analysis being originally intended to supply the material for a continuation of Sir Robert Kane’s researches; and it was only in consequence of Sir Robert’s other avocations preventing him from following up the investigation any further that Mr. Marshall sent them to the Laboratory of the Royal College of Chemistry.-Dr. A. W. Rofmann. TABLE I. Lievland. Courland. Lithuanian. Estland. I. 11. I. 11. I. 11. I. 11. I r-A-1 grin. grm. grm. Fm. grm. grm. grm. grm.Quantity of ash employed for the 4.7076 4.6640 5.3100 1.2953 6.1526 5.8256 4.4630 general analysis ... Whole amount of the hydrochloric 324.0300 ,97.59 50 293,495 293495 24 2.56 20 06.9200 acid solution .... -A-7 Hydrochloric acid solution em-.} ployed for the alkalies . 17.5040 16.84 15 24.2960 27.4094 28.8473 28.1370 20,3340 I 239870 1Iydrochloric acid solution em-ployed for sulphuric and phos- { ;;:;;;;] 30,7767 26.6230 27-4080 28,0232 22.7 7 3 0 phoric acids ....1 { 22.6950) 1 23*0280 Hydrochloric acid solution for 25.4352 sesquioxide of iron lime and 30.2702 30.7767 { ;EE} magnesia .... 31.7940 27.5790 Quantity of ash employed for the 2.0813 1.3249 -8360 ........... 1.0017 ....... estimation of chlorine . . Quantity of ash employed for the -8532 *8875 -7023 -8097 -8017 -7450 .!I680 -8418 estimation of carbonic acid .} Quantity of the plant dried at 1000 C.for the estimation of the 6.0140 5.4247 1.4571 ........... 3.3575 ....... 2.4930 ............ amount of ash. ... I TABLE 11. 2 ? c Lievland. Courland. Lithuanian. E stland. I. 11. I. 11. I. TI. I. 11. grm. grm. grm. gmi. grm. grm. grm. Srm. Silicic acid . . . . . . . 0.3098 0.3260 0.3590 0.0868 0.2850 0.2597 0.2010 .. .. Sandand charcoal . . . . . 0,3240 0.0128 0.1485 0,0331 0.0750 0.0689 0.1145 .. .. Mixed chlorides of potassium and sodium . 2.6678 2.6492 2.8690 2.8736 3.127!1 3.1203 2.3332 2.3349 Bichloride of platinum and potassium . . 8.7439 8.6829 8.1660 8.1734 8.8082 8.7819 5.3430 5.3521 Chloride of sodium .. . . . .. .. .. ,. 0.3778 0.3797 0.4407 0.4409 0.7030 0.7001 Sulphate of baryta for sulphuric acid . 0.6369 0.6382 0 7222 0,6692 0.4299 0.5047 0.5424 .. .. Pyrophosphate of magnesia for phosphoric acid 0.6492 0.6504 0.5512 0.5601 1.0257 1.0394 0.9710 0.9813 Phosphate of sesquioxide of iron . . . 0.1338 0.1333 0.1477 0.1413 0.1513 0.1459 0.1252 0.1301 Q Carbonate of lime . . . . . I -4451 1.4314 1.5998 1.9077 1.9832 1.9955 1.8913 1.8814 Pyrophosphate of magnesia for magnesia . 0.8028 0.7324 0.9046 0.8801 0.8818 0,9592 1.3006 1.2817 Chloride of silver . . . . . 0.0409 0.0277 0.0320 .. *. 0.0692 .. .. 0.0437 .. .. Carbonic acid . . . . . 0.1500 0.1550 0.1300 0.1500 0.1 830 0.1700 0.0750 0.0650 Amount of ash left on incineration . . 0.2532 0.2240 0.0530 .... 0.0773 .. .. 0.1020 .. .. MESSRS. MAYER AND BRAZIER ON THE These numbers correspond to the following composition per cent. I.-LIEVLAND FLAX ASH. The stems upon incineration gave in average 4.1292 per cent of ash. Composition of the ash directly found I. 11. MEAN. Potash . . 35.0670 34.8588 34,9629 Lime . 17.1 892 17.1833 17.1 862 Magnesia . Sesquioxide of iron. Chloride of potassium Phosphoric acid . Sulphuric acid . Silicic acid . 6.2197 0.9235 1-0849 8.8048 4.5097 6-5812 6.3278 0.9286 1.0201 8-8224 4.6012 6.921G 6.2738 0,9260 1.0525 8-8136 4.5554 6.7514 Carbonic acid . 17.5914 17.4648 175281 Sand and charcoal . 0.6788 0.3425 0.5 106 98.6502 98.4711 98,5605 The above numbers after deducting sand and charcoal which are considered but as accidentally present and also carbonic acid give the following composition per cent Potash .. 4(3.42 Lime. . . 21-35 Magnesia . Sesquioxide of iron . Chloride of potau ' *slum. Phosphoric acid . . Sulphuric acid . Silicic acid . ~I.-COURLAND FLAX 7.79 1.15 1-31 . 10.94 . 5.66 8-38 100~00 ASH. The stems upon incineration gave in average 3.6358 per cent of ash. Composition of the ash directly found I. 11. MEAN. Potash . 29.6786 29.5988 29.6387 Soda . 2.9640 2.9433 2.9536 Lime . Magnesia . Sesquioxide of iron Manganese . Chloride of sodiumPhosphoric acid . . . . 20*1184 6.1111 0.9038 trace 1.3562 6.5948 20.0355 6.2123 0.8646 trace 1.5562 6.7027 20.0769 6.1617 0-8842 trace 1.5562 6.6487 Sulphuric acid .Silicic acid . 4-6647 6.7027 4.3220 6.7604 4,4933 6.7316 Carbonic acid . . 18.5106 18.5253 18.5179 Sand and charcoal. . 2.5559 2.7966 2.6762 100.3608 100.3177 100.3390 MINERAL CONST$TUENTS OF THE FLAX PLANT. Per-centage after dedncting sand charcoal and carbonic acid Potash . . . . Soda. . Lime. . . Magnesia . Sesquioxide of iron . Chloride of sodium . Phosphoric acid . . Sulphuri; acid . Silicic acid. . . III.-LITHUANIAN FLAX 3744 3.74 25.39 7.71 1.13 1*94 8.31 5.89 8.45 10@00 ASH. The stems upon incineration gave in average 2.3023 per cent of ash. Composition of the ash directly found I. 11. MEAN. Potash . . . 27.5459 27.4770 27,5114 Soda .2.3055 2.3065 2-3060 Lime . . . 18-0526 18.1648 18.1087 Magnesia . 5.6794 5.5154 5.5974 Sesquioxide of iron . 0.7991 0.7710 0.7850 Chloride of sodium . 2.8115 2-8115 2.8115 Yhosphoric acid . . 10.5868 10.8972 10.7420 Sulphuric acid . 2.6755 2.8137 2.7446 Silicic acid . . 4,6346 4.4532 4.5439 Carbonic acid . . 22.8302 22.7272 22.7787 Sand and charcoal. . 1.2190 1.1828 1~2009 99.1401 99.1203 9901301 Per-centage after deducting sand charcoal and carbonic acid Potash . . Soda. Lime. . Magnesia . Sesquioxide of iron . Chloride of sodium . Phosphoric acid . Sulphuric acid . Silicic acid. + . 36.61 3.06 24-09 7-45 1004 3.75 . 14.30 3-65 6.05 100*00 62 MESSRS. MAYER AND BRAZIER ON TI-IE IV.-ESTLANDFLAX ASH.The stems upon incineration gave in average 4.0914 per cent of ash. Composition of the ash dircctly found r. IT. MEAN. Potash 23.1083 523-0432 23.0757 Soda . 7.5111 7.5323 7.521'? Lime . . . 23,8567 23.6070 23.7318 Magnesia . . 10.6274 10.4718 10.5496 Sesquioxide of iron . 0.9115 0.9363 0.9239 Chloride of sodium . 1.5069 1.5069 1.5069 Phosphoric acid . . 13.8098 13.9642 13.8870 Sulphuric acid . 4.1678 4.1678 4.1678 Silicic acid . 4.4815 4.48 15 4.4815 Carbonic acid . 7.7559 7.7215 7-7387 Sand and charcoal . 2.5878 2.5878 2-5878 100.3247 100.0203 100.1724 Per-centage after deducting sand charcoal and carbonic acid Potash . . 25.70 Soda . 8.37 Lime. . 26.41 Magnesia . . 11.74 Sesquioxide of iron 1-0.2 Chloride of sodium .1.67 Phosphoric acid. . 15.47 Sulphuric acid . 4064 Silicic acid. 4-98 100*00 From the foregoing analyses the following comparative table has been made from which it will be readily seen in what points the ashes of these different specimens agree in composition. Lievland. Courland. Lithuanian. Estland. I. 11. 111. IV. Potash . . 43.42 37-44! 36.61 25.70 Soda . I 3-74 3-06 8.37 Lime . . 21.35 25.39 24.09 26.41 MagnesiaSesquioxide of iron . Manganese . Chloride of sodium . Phosphoric acid . Sulphuric acid. . Silicic acid . , !,potassium e . . 7.79 1.15 I -1.31 10-94 5.66 8.38 7.71 1.13 trace. 1-94 8-31 5-89 8.45 - 7.45 1*04 3-75 14.30 3.65 6.05 - 11-74 1.o2 1-67 15*47 4.64 4.98 - 100~00 100~00 1oo*oo 100~00 MINERAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE FLAX PLANT.85 We also append in a tabular form the results of Sir R. Kane’s analyses of this plant taken from his paper read before the Royal Dublin Society on the 6th of April 1847. To facilitate comparison we have re-calculated these analyses after deducting the carbonic acid. A B CD Courtrai An twerp District. District. * 5 + a -I-Potash . 9-69 30.62 26.67 28.62 21.35 11.78 6.60 Soda 24.1 6 none. 16.88 0.48 12.65 11-82 6 61 Lime 19.37 22 04 22.15 21-19 21.30 14.85 23-67 Magnesia . 4.34 4.45 4-70 4 05 3.50 9.38 4 21 Sesquioxide of iron 5.66 2.03 1’31 2.53 2.74 > 14.10 It Alumina . 0.56 0.58 0-86 , , 1.67 7.32 i9 ?* Manganese . trace. trace. trace. , ? 1.12 19 it Yi ?Y Sulphuric acid 7.93 8-33 8-18 13.43 11.22 3.19 9.30 Phosphoric acid 14.10 15.78 10.66 12-19 12.82 13.05 7-29 Silicic acid .3.85 4.54 3.20 3.36 6.18 25.7 1 0.94 Chloride of sodium 10.34 11.63 5 49 14-15 6 57 2 90 26.15 100~00100*oo too 00 100 00 LOO 00 100~00100.00 On comparing the results of our analyses with those of Sir Robert Kane we find at once that the general features of both are identical although as might be expected discrepancies present themselves respecting the individual constituents. In the ashes both of the Belgian and of the Russian specimens we meet with a very large amount of alkali (nearly 40 per cent) the quantity too of phos-phoric acid is very considerable (from 10 to 15 per cent). Our analyses then furnish a further proof that flax must be classed among the most exhausting crops for the amount of valuable mineral substances which we remove from the soil in this plant considerably exceeds the quantity which is generally extracted from it in the form of wheat or corn.From a statement of Mr. Mac Adam,* it appears that one rood of land yields about 12.7 cwt. of recently-pulled flax plant. If we take this number as tbe basis of calculation and the average per- centage of ash at 3.53 lbs. of alkalies at 39.58 Ibs. and of phosphoric acid at 12.51lbs. we find that a flax crop removes from a rood of land not less than 12.21 lbs of alkalies and 5-94lbs. of phos-* Royal Agricultural Journal vol. VIII p. 361 RIESSRS. MAYER AND BRAZIER ON THE phoric acid; on the other hand we have learnt froni the researches of Mr.Way,* that a rood of land which has served for the cultiva- tion of wheat loses (an average taken from a great number of analyses) about 7.5 lbs. of alkali and 6.9 lbs. of phosphoric acid. These figures show that the amount of phosphoric acid in the flax crop closcly approaches that of the wheat whilst the lattcr extracts only about half the quantity of alkali which we find in the former. Hence it would appear that a flax crop is at least as exhausting as a crop of wheat. There is however one striking point of dissimilarity between the cultivation of wheat and that of flax and we are indebted to Sir Robert Kane for having for the first time brought this point under the notice of the farmer in a forcible manner-viz that while the mineral ingredients which we remove from our fields in wheat or cerializ in general become constituents of food and enter in this manner into a circulation from which even under very favourable circumstances they return to the soil only after the lapse of some time; the woody fibre of flax as a necessary preliminary to its being used by man is separated to z1 considerable extent from those very mineral substances which are so essential for its successful growth.This mineral matter when economized in a proper manner by the farmer may be returned to his field to keep up the equilibrium of its fertility. The vegetation of the flax plant rcscmblcs in this respect the growth of the Sugar-cane from the culture of which we expect a material consisting entirely of atmospheric constituents.The in- organic substances taken up by the plant are only instruments used in its production which should bc as carefully preserved as tools in a manufactory and will then do further duty iii promoting the elabo- ration of future crops. The analysis of the flax ash suggests a few remarks respecting an interesting feature in the nature of ashes generally which was first noticed by Professor Liebig in his celebrated Agricultural Chemistry. On comparing the composition of the ashes of specimens of the same plant cultivated under different circumstances he observed that notwithstanding very considerable discrepancies in the constitution the entire basic power of the different bases united with a certain class of acids for instance the organic acids remained constant for different specimens of the same plant or in other words the basicity of an oxide being measured by its oxygen the total amount of oxygen contained in the bases forming organic * Royal Agricnlturd Journal vol.VII. p. 593. MINERAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE FLAX PLANT. Quantity of basic Quantity of basic Name of the ash. -oxyge;l in 100 Name of the ash. oxygen in 100 parts. parts. ~ ~~ Heestert . . . 16.95 Lievland 16.80 Escamaffles . . . 14.00 Courland 17.89 HammeZog . . 17.71 Lithuanian 17.12 Unknown district . 13.36 Estland 17.86 Holland . . . 15-83 Dublin . . . . 16.36 Mean 17.42 Armagh . . . 15.68 b I Mean 15.68 The composition of several wheat-ashes as resulting from Mr.Way’s analysis likewise appears to be favourablc to this view.* Specimen No. 1. Hopeton wheat . . . . 11.64 per cent. > No. 2. Creeping wheat . . . . 11-52 , , No 3. Red straw white wheat. . 11.02 , , KO.4. Hopeton wheat No. 2 . . 11.9% , , No. 5. French wheat . . . . . 12.59 , , No. 6. Egyptian wheat. . . . . 12-19 , , No. 7. Odessa wheat . . . . . 12 08 , , No. 8. Marianople wheat. . . . 14-46 ) , No. 9. Hopeton wheat No. 3 . . 12-89 , , No. 10. Red straw white wheat. . 11.53 , 9 No. 11. White wheat . . . . . 12-24 ,) Mean 12-19 The argument however drawn from these ashes is of minor importance the discrepancies in their composition bcing far less conspicuous than in the former cases.The number representing the basic power of the sum of the metallic oxides in the ash varying within trifling limits it is but a * Royal Agricutural Society Journal vol. vii. p. 666. MESSRS. MAYER AND BRAZIER ON THE natural consequence that we should likewise find a certain constancy in the acidity of the total amount of acids. Without going into detail a glance at the tables will shew indeed that a replacement of the acids occurs to a certain extent. Whenever the amount of carbonic acid which represents the organic acids diminishes we find the quantity of inorganic acid as sulphuric and phosphoric increases and vice versa”. Our attention was nest directed to the soils upon which the different specimens of flax had been grown samples of which through the kind- ness of Mr.Marshall had likewise been forwarded to Dr. Hofmann. These soils all gave a brownish colour to boiling water owing to a portion of the organic matter being soluble in that menstruum. The following table shews the behaviour of these soils with solvents 1 1 Lievland. ICourland.1 Lithuania. Estland. -0.0864 0 1700 0 1528 0.1497 Soluble in water. Inorganic matter . 0.2290 0.3125 0.4578 }Organic matter. . ---0.4417 1 Total . . . 0.3154 0.4825 0 5945 0.6075 Soluble in hydrochloric acid . . . 7.2596 6.9166 7 2433 8,7119 Insoluble residue . . . . . 92.4250 92.6009 92.1622 90.6806 100~0000100*0000 100 0000 I 100~0000 The following tables contain the details of the individual deter- min at ions :-TABLE I.Lievland. Courland. Lithuanian. Estland. 8l-m. Bm. Quant,ity of soil employed for grm. grm. general analysis . . . 20,0480 22.3010 18.5560 22.9480 Amount of the hydrochloric solu-tion . . . . . 270-0400 232.3550 324.12 50 263.98 Hydrochloric solution for alkalies 64.1800 67.4600 74.3800 56,1600 Hydrochloric solution for sul-phuricacid . . . 58-0350 65-2700 69.9400 45.53 Hydrochloric solution for phos-phoric acid sesquioxide of ;;:;;;; 69.7700 75.9 150 ( 88.7600 iron alumina lime and mag- j L 50.9400 nesia Hydrochloric solution for the sesquioxide of iron . . . 23.8400 46.9195 60.7950 22.1800 Quantity of soil for chlorine . 13.2600 11.3701 11.6611 14.4 190 Quantity of soil for total amount of organic matter .. . 7.5850 4-9i3a 5.6485 7.3205 Quantity of soil for total amount soluble in water . . . 164.8400 205.1700 228.2350 104.6100 MINERAL CONSTITUESTS OF THE FLAX PLANT. TABLE 11. Lievland. :ourland. Lithuan. Estland. Residue . . . . . . . 18.5 29 4 20.7465 1'i.1003 20.8094 Mixed chlorides of potassium and sodium . 0.1684 0.1757 0 1839 0.1 738 Bichloride of platinum and potassium. . 0.5217 0.3758 0.5255 0.4419 Chloride of sodium . . . . . 0.009 1 0.0609 0.0236 0.0388 Sulphate of baryta for sulphuric acid . . 0.0999 0.0543 0.0784 0.8897 Pyrophosphate of magnesia for phosph. acid 0.0448 0.0190 0.0234 0.0577 Sesquioxide of iron and alumina . . 0.6214 0,9477 0.9864 0.9250 Sesquioxide of iron . . . . . 0.3624 0.5300 0.5911 0.4537 Carbonate of lime .. . . . 0.1504 0.3113 0.1494 0.3237 Pyrophosphate of magnesia for magnesia . 0.1103 0,1075 0.0918 0.2228 Chloride of silver for chlorine . . . 0.0150 0.0071 0.0123 0*0280 Amount of soil left after ignition . . 7,2120 4.7150 5.4031 6.9645 From the former tables we obtain by alculati n the dlowing amounts of constituents of 100 parts in the soils :-Lievland. Courland. Lithuan. Estland. Potash . . . . . 0.5011 0.3241 0 5466 0.3726 Soda Lime . . . . . . . . . . ..o&i 0.1320 0.7816 0 0152 0.4980 0 0480 0.7955 Alumina . . . . . Magnesia . .. . 0,2006 1.1919 0.1304 1.8731 0.1 805 2.1418 0.3619 2.0102 Sesquioxide of iron . . . Manganese . . . . Chloride of sodium . . . 1.8076 trace. 0.0455 2.3767 trace. 0.0247 3-1900 trace. 0.0421 2.0206 trace. 0-0790 Srilphuric acid .. . Phosphoric acid . . . Organic matter . . . Insoluble residue after deduct- ing organic matter . . 0.1539 0.1399 4.7176 91.0634 0.0880 0.0538 4.0300 89.4872 0.1206 0.0805 4.3442 88.4 724 0.1618 0.1597 4.8630 88.2364 I 100-1966 99.3016 99.66 19 99.1087 The insoluble residue constituting the greater portion of the soil was fused with carbonate of potash. The following are the experi- mental numbers :-~ ievland. Courland Lithuania. Estland. Amount of residue employed . . . 0.9790 1.2955 0.8620 0.9780 Amount of hydrochloric acid solution ob-tained . . . . . . . 82.35 213.9450 270.3 300 91.9300 Amount of hydrochloric solution for the determination of sesquioxide of iron and 17.11 26.9730 29-58 35 30.1800 alumina . . . . . .i Amount of hydrochloric solution for the determination of lime . . . . .a 27-7520 26 0968 26.1700 90 MESSRS MAYER AND BRAZIER ON THE FLAX PLANT. Amount of silicic acid obtained . . Amount of sesquioxide of iron and alu-o.0260 o.0106 o.oo23 o.0210 mina obtained . . . . .)1.. 1 1 1 Amount of carbonate of lime obtained . 0.0061 0.0015 0-0120 The insoluble residnes upon calculation yield the following results per cent. 1 I 1 I Lievland. Courland. Lithuania. Estland. Lime . . . . traces. 1.8727 0.8778 2.0120 Alumina . . . . 11.6270 6.1145 2.2452 5.7549 Sesquioxide of iron . . traces. traces. traces. traces. Phosphoric acid . . traces. traces. none. traces Silicic acid . . . 79.3424 81.5000 85.0938 80.5676 I 90.9694 I92.6224 In all the four soils we find comparatively speaking considerable quantities of alkali especially potash and also of phosphoric acid.They closely resemble the Belgian soils analysed by Sir Robert Kane as may be seen from the tables,which we borrow from SirRobert's paper --. Potassa .....0.160 0.123 0-068 0.151 0.583 b Soda .......0.298 0.146 0.110 0.206 0.306 Lime ... . .. .0.357 0.227 0.481 0.366 3.043 Magnesia ......0.202 0.153 0.140 0.142 0.105 Alumina ......2.102 1.383 0.125 0,988 5.626 Sesquioxide of iron ...3.298 1.663 1.202 1.543 6.047 Manganese . ....trace trace a trace no trace trace ..0.017 0-030 0.067 0.009 0.023 Chloride of sodium Sulphuric acid .. . .0.025 0.017 0.013 0.026 0-023 Phosphoric acid . . . 0.121 0.152 0.064 0.193 0.159 Organic matter not driven off at loo*per cent .i 3.123 2.361 4.209 3.672 5.841 Clay ......#14.920 9.280 5.760 4.400 17.080 Sand ......(175.080 84.065 86.797 88.385 60.947 -_I---199.600 99.975 100.081 99.783 In conclusion we beg to express our warmest thanks to Dr.Hofrnann for his instruction and valuable advice during the prosecu-tion of these analyses and for the uniform kindness we have at all times experienced at his hands. 1-