Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1882 [PAGE 81]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

75 rather less than three-quarters of an inch in diameter at base. The canes were cut about six inches from the ground. Of the Orange, from two to three feet of the top was taken off; pf the Early Amber, rather more than three feet. An analysis was made of the soil on which these two varieties of cane grew, and also of its subsoil and of a virgin prairie soil adjoining. The following table gives the result of these analyses. No. 1 was prairie soil, No. 2 the soil on which the cane grew, No. 3 its subsoil:

Soil. Organic matter Silicic acid S e s q u i o x i d e of iron Alumina Manganese P h o s p h a t e of lime C a r b o n a t e of lime C a r b o n a t e of m a g n e s i a Potash Soda S u l p h u r i c acid Soluble m a t t e r found. Organic matter Silicic acid Lime Magnesia Potash Soda Manganese P h o s p h o r i c acid I n s o l u b l e m a t t e r found N o . 1. 1.9414 0.0798 1.8367 1.4775 0.1798 0.1683 0.3835 0.5244 0 0733 0.0177 0.1403 4.1150 72.1765 12.7143 0.5729 0.4893 3.0041 0.5120 0.1933 6.8327 No. 2. 2.4880 0.0617 1.4517 0.5700 0.2200 0.2103 0.5845 0.6757 0.0785 0.0211 0.1519 " "6*0700 68.7127 12 0520 0.7721 0.4831 3.0331 0.6344 0.0847 0 1553 7.5134 N o . 3. 3.7551 0.0975 1.2650 1.7150 0.1152 1.2515 0.7140 0.0505 0.0970 0.2137 8.9549 68.0224 9.3156 0.6444 0.4836 2.4561 0.56.64 0.2628 9.2745

92.7867

91.9974

90.7062

99.6194 99.6194 99.5108 99.5108 99.9807 99.9807

Analyses Nos. 2, 4, 7, and 13, were made from cane grown upon the farm of Mr. J. W. Cushman, two miles south of Urbana. The field on which this cane was planted had grown seven consecutive crops of sorghum, without manure. It was high prairie land sloping towards the south. Seed planted April 25. The cane of Nos. 8 and 14 was grown about one and one-half miles northeast of Urbana, on timber land. The field had been used as a barn-yard previous to its being planted with cane and was therefore richly manured. The seed came from Minnesota through Mr. LeDuc, ex-Commissioner of Agriculture. The seed was planted the first week in May. Cultivated as usual for corn. Eesults Nos. 15 and 16 were obtained from cane grown three miles south of Champaign, on virgin prairie. Eight rows were planted along the roadside, bounded on the outer side by the road itself, and the inner by a tall, dense hedge-fence. Mr. Holmes, the owner of the cane, said the seed came from Mississippi, and was planted the last week in April. Land gradually rising from a slough near by. Two varieties of heads were present in this cane: the panicles of one (analysis No. 15) were clustered and erect; those of the other (No. 16) were spreading with pedicels drooping. No. 21. University farm. Volunteer cane, from cane grown on the field last year.