| ANALYSIS OF FIVE SAMPLES OF TOBACCO. | |||||
| No. 1. | No. 2. | No. 3. | No. 4. | No. 5. | |
| Grown on argillaceous soil | Grown in calcareous soil. | ||||
| Potash | 29.08 | 30.67 | 9.68 | 9.36 | 10.37 |
| Soda | 2.26 | — | — | — | .36 |
| Lime | 27.67 | 24.79 | 49.28 | 49.44 | 39.58 |
| Magnesia | 7.22 | 8.57 | 14.58 | 15.59 | 15.04 |
| Chloride of sodium | .91 | 5.95 | 4.61 | 3.20 | 6.39 |
| Chloride of potassium | — | — | 4.44 | 3.27 | 2.99 |
| Phosphate of iron | 8.78 | 6.03 | 5.19 | 6.72 | 7.56 |
| Sulphate of lime | 6.43 | 5.60 | 6.68 | 6.14 | 9.42 |
| Silica | 17.65 | 18.39 | 5.54 | 6.28 | 8.34 |
| 100. | 100. | 100. | 100. | 100. | |
From 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 |
| 100.1 |
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 of lead; 3, tannin; 4, gallic acid; 5, chlorophyle (leaf green); 6, a green pulverulent matter, which dissolves in boiling water, but falls down again when the water cools; 7, a yellow oil, possessing the smell, taste and poisonous qualities of tobacco; 8, a large quantity of a pale yellow resin; 9, nicotine; 10, a white substance, analogous to morphia, soluble in hot, but hardly in cold alcohol; 11, a beautiful orange red dye stuff, soluble only in acids; it deflagrates in the fire, and seems to possess neutral properties; 12, nicotianine. According to Buchner, the seeds of tobacco yield a pale yellow extract to alcohol, which contains a compound of nicotine and sugar.
M.M. Henry and Boutron Charlard found in 100 parts of