The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-01
MannriaI yaIue of Wood Ashes.

New land is proverbially good; not
that it has more largely the elements of
fertility in general, as the trees take
care that this is not the case, using up
what nutriment IS annually furnished by
the leaves; but it owes its value to the
potash left after the land is burned
over, as is the case also in breaking up
the prairie. The principle will be clear
" seen by giving it single thought.
The ashes furnish the mineral or lnor-
ganic part, the atmosphere the rest, the
soil containing sufficient other material
| (humus, clay, sand, etc. for basis,
But science and philosophy aside, it
has been found that ashes are superior
benefit. Around an old heap of spest
ashes there will always be circle of
rank growth, usually of grass and
weeds of blush color This is found
to be the case whatever the soil may be.
In the strongest garden soil l have
noticed it, and also in very poor land.
/ Unleached ashes have a still more
marked effect, showing the importance
of potash as manure.
The tests that have been made, SO far
as [ am cognizant, always show that the
growth, especially of grass, corresponds
! to the amount of ashes applied; and
the amonnt may be large-seventy to
| eighty bushels per acre, and even more
/ The benefit will show at once, but not
all of it, as the ashes do not give up ut
once all they contain, being dissolved
slowly, so as to supply potash for seve-
raj years. This is my experience, and,
believe, the uniform experience OF
every one. The reason why ashes are
not more highly valued-are not valued
for what they are worth-is that they
are too sparingly used. When sown on
fox nJ,a1c k<Nf fhn
all that are used. AS but part is dis
solved, the first year it will be readily
seen that tie effect must be smau-less
SO than that of plaster, though plaster
is one of the ingredients of ashes.
But there are not enough ashes to
SOW largely, and a large proportion OF
what we have are permitted to go TO
waste; particularly is this the case with
leached ashes, yet they are nearly as
good as unleached, and equally lasting.
We ought to have every particle OF our
ashes, including the SCOT from the
stovepipes and chimneys. We want
them for special uses-to manure oul
grapevines and fruit trees, and to use IN
our gardens, door-yards and lawns.
Each farmer or owner of land, II he
burns wood, makes enough ashes fol
these purposes. The extent of land on
which they are used being circum-
scribed, they may be used plentifully
in which case the effect will not fail &c
be highly satisfactory.
have used them on grapevlnes with
the most gratifying results, applied
mostly as q cover to the mulch, having
the property to keep this moist, as vel
as to impart fertility; hence they art
particularly excellent in drouth: No
only is the growth of the wood advanc
J ed, but that of the fruit also, and
! have become convinced that by the ust
of ashes the flavor of fruit in general il
improved. 1 know that in connection
with thorough drainage this has PROVED
to be the case. Particularly are lawn
and dooryards In grass benefited b.
ashes. Apply at the rate of sixty t
eighty bushels per acre, more or less
according to whether the ashes ar
made of hard or soft wood-hard-woot
r ashes being the best. A coat applies
ionce in three or four years will do. o.