Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-04-09
Leached Ashes for Manure.

value Of leached ashes rs a manure. but at
the same time have reason 20 believe that
large quantities OF ii are suffered tn b.
wasted. aud that. even within the circle of
our intelligent readers, there are some cul.
tiators who do no; properly appreciate it
yet. We propose, therefore, to place before
the reader the opinions and experiments Of
some others, to give force to what we have
often stated ourselves in regard to the value
OF tins article.
Mr. Colman, In his valuable Report on
the Agriculture Of Massachusetts,, in some
observations relative 20 the value and Ell.
cacy OF the manurcs used by the farmers OF
this State, say, Ashes. lcachcd or crude,
have l,cen applied by different individuals
with various sicccss. 4 farmer Of high
authority in Newbury states-'l think
leaehed ashes very valuable TO spread ON
grass land Likewise for onions and grain.
| use twenty or thirty cart loads a year,
and gave tins season 81 per load Of City
bushels. Another respectable farmer says
.he deems them OF no use unless applied in
conjunction with other manure, and then
Of grca, efficacy. In their application upon
rch loan to corn. both in tho hill aud
spread round the hill a, the first hocing, |
have seen no beneficial result from them. -"
The question naturally arises here,
whether. il the corn bad been planted on n
poor loan, or on poor gravelly soil, and
a part OF N, crop had been treated with
ashes, and a part not, there would not have
bccn a marked difference between the two ?
But the ashes was applied on a rch loan
that would have brOush, a good crop alone.
That Is not the best mode OF testing spccial
manurcs.
Judge Bael, OF Albany. a man whose pen
cast light upon many subjects, and whom
we cannot accuse Of having given currency
to a single sophism. in the long course OF
his mos, ariuous aud philanthropic efforts
to amsliorate the condition OF American
agriculture. says +" leachcI ashes. or soap
boder's waste, which contains always a
quantity Of lime, | have used with advan-
tase for whea,;" and another distinguished
writer, whose labors have, like those OF the
individual first named, been the means OF
a.ousing and directing inquiry on many I'M
poriant topics, remarks "Lsachcd ashes |
have always found 10 be a most genial and
efficient manarc. Is top-drcssing FOR
grass land.-appliei at the rate OF twenty
Eve or thirty bushels per acre, according 10
circumstances. they are unsurpassed. They
correct aciiity. aud sweeten the soil, and
have powerful effect in warming aud i'm
Juius il with energy and life. | consider
them an economical and desirable manure
at seventeen cents bushel, even where |
am compelled TO draw them from thres to
cigh, miles"
We have often witnessed the good effects
which Judge Buel describes. and not only
on grass lands, by which we suppose he
means moving lands,-but on pastures
which had become greatly impoverished,
and even partially covered with moss.
In the Farmers Cabinet an intelligent
correspondent observes "Of oil things to
make grass grow, ashes bea, this you may
depend upon, for have tried it often, and
1t has never failed yet. Collect As much OF
il rs YOU can, the more the better, and
spread it over your grounds, and see il am
not correct in my assertions"
4 writer in the Farmers Journal. OBJ.
serves: Z" do not zee wood ashes very often
spokcn Ct as a manure, in our agricultural
papers am inclined TO think that they
are not valued 50 highly as they deserve. |
have had pretty favorable opportunity for
observing their effects. In my bcyhood, a
soap-boiling establishment was set up in the
ueishbOrbood IN which my father lived, IN
which large quantities OF wood ashes were
used. The man who carried ii on had a
. farm Of about hundred acres, which. un-
der faulty system Of management, had got
very much run out, and the owner was get
ting every year more and more IN debt.
After he commenced soap.boiling, there
being little demand for his leached ashes,
he applied them literally to his land, and
soon, from being one of the poorest, his
farm became decidedly the most productive
in the town. His crops repeatedly obtained
the premiums at the County cattle shows.
| think never knew so great change pro-
duced on farm in 80 short time. Ii was
a subject Of general and admiring observa-
ton. BY the increased productiyeness Of
his farm, added to the profits OF his soap
boiling, he soon freed himself from his pc.
euniary embarrassments, and at his death
he left to his children not only farm free
from all membranes, and in high state
Of cultivation, but also considerable other
property which he had accumulated. The
sOil Of the farm was light, incl.ning to
sandy"
With these facts before US, and many
Others which arc constantly occurring, it
would seem that sufficient evidence has been
accumulated to convince the mos. skeptical