Print
Word
PDFFrom the above it will be seen that on the argillaceous soil the tobacco contained a large quantity of alkalies and silica, while on the other hand, the lime, magnesia and chlorides were high in proportion, in the tobacco grown on calcareous soil.
There is no doubt that the manure which contains the largest proportion of alkaline carbonate, magnesia, lime and gypsum, is that best adapted for tobacco.
I give an analysis taken from Prof. Johnston’s “Lectures,” (2nd edition) of the ash of the tobacco leaf and the composition of a special manure for tobacco:—
Potash 12.14
Soda 0.07
Lime 45.90
Magnesia 13.09
Chloride of sodium 3.49
Chloride of potassium 3.98
Phosphate of iron 5.48
Phosphate of lime 1.49
Sulphate of lime 6.35
Silica 8.01
------
100.00
All the ingredients which are necessary to replace 100 lbs. of the ash of tobacco leaves are present in the following mixture:—
Bone dust, sulphuric acid 23 lbs.
Carbonate of potash (dry) 31 "
Carbonate of soda (dry) 5 "
Carbonate of Magnesia 25 "
Carbonate of lime (chalk) 60 "
------
144 "
The following is the result of an analysis of the fresh leaves of tobacco, by Posselt and Reimann ("Mag. Pharm.” xxiv. xxv.):—
Nicotine 0.06 Nicotianine 0.01 Extractive matter, slightly bitter 2.37 Gum, with a little malate of lime 1.74 Green resin 0.26 Vegetable albumen 0.26 Substance analogous to gluten 1.04 Malic acid 0.51 Malate of ammonia 0.12 Sulphate of potash 0.04 Chloride of potassium 0.06 Potash combined with malic and nitric acids 0.90 Phosphate of lime 0.16 Lime in union with malic acid 0.24 Silica 0.08 Woody fibre 4.96 Water (traces of starch) 87.21 ------ 100.10
Dr. Covell, in “Silliman’s American Journal,” vol. vii., shows its components to have been but imperfectly represented in the above German analysis. He found in tobacco by chemical examination—1, gum; 2, a viscid slime, equally soluble in water and alcohol, and precipitable from both by subacetate
