Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-10-01
fiUm IHt Mdlrt7 T AfIueI
Economy ta Buying Ashes.

/ 20 spend day not long since IN PIttsheld.
In Supapy with friend, l visited a
horseback running through the town, and
while Cd the ramble leayned something Of
the character of the rocks from which the
soil arobDd the village is made II was
SURPASSED that the soil is destitute Of pot
ash Upon returning to the village while
in conversation with one Of its most mtel-
igent citizens, We suggested such IN itoa,
and learned from him that the application
lof ashes as manure by the farmers there,
Is followed nv excellent results. This
would certainly indicate a lack OF potash.
During the conversation, another fact was
brought out, the consideration Of which
has indnced me 70 write this article. 1t
is this. A certain quantity of potash
carbonate OF potassium is manufactured
in the village, and the ashes that are
cached are bought by the neighboring
farmers and used as manure. This Is GER
tainly a very wise thing TO do, provided
the ashes are economically bought The
peculiar tact in the case Is, that the un-
cached ashes are bought for 10 cents per
oushei, and the lcached ashes are sold 70
the farmers for the same price per bushel.
Vow there Is No economy about such a
proceeding. When farmers can purchase
ashes Tor the same price per
busho that they can leached, it is the
height Of iOOlisuess not 10 do so, even if
they are obliged to haul the unleaehed
ashes a long distance, We make such a
statement becadse 1t admits OF proof In
fact the truth expressed is obvious, never
thcicss we will demonstrate. Ashes must
be considered a potash fertilizer Il is
with reference to their potash that We ap-
pig them to the soil. They are not con-
siIered as a phosphate manure, although
they contain irons l per cent TO 3 per cent
OF .nSoIub.e phosyhoric acid. Now when
ashes are iesched large quantity Of pot
ash Is taken out, consequently the ashes
are worth very much loss As q special
fertilizer. let Us see What the exact re-
aion j. 4 bushcl Of 1mesched ashes
weighs about torty-elsht lbs There Is
on an average, $ u per cent OF potash
10 ordinary uu.eached ashes about . per
cent or phospaoric acid There would
.hen be in one bushel- 4 lbs aof potash,
ard about TO. OF phosphorlc acid The
,onmercial valne Of potash Is regarded
by the best authorities II $ cents per 10.
an iuso.ub'e phosohoric acid at { =
cents usr 10. los paIAsh II cents.
Sl5@ ] 10. phospa0Elc aeid, 30 i -
,eut- Sp.o45i tota per 5ushc., So.56 -
One uusDe OF cached asles weighs about
,ev,1st- I've lbs. not tver thai Such
ashes contain l.5 per cent Of potash, OF
ah-u, one 10. o. the bu,he aud - per
ss.- o.e phosphcrle acid. or 9 lbs to the
ou>hel I To. potash Al cents, SOUS %
os.phoTboric acid at l-2ceuts S0.0i;
to,alper uushei, SO.lZ According To the
Above OASIS OF calculations, and We believe
&, 20 be safe one, Il we are buying ashes
win reference 10 The potash snd phos-
h7r;e ac.d they contain, tlshe. Of i'll
catd IS worth three lmes as much as
la,he O., lcach@ a,h&, considered with
c.rrceyfto the FOt,si, a,Nae >ae ooe Is
worth 'ouy and one halt uue- the o,ner.
Besides the ingredients mentioned. a>b-
: contain among other thjng-, carbonate
d lime. The iecouTosing and nitri.yIng
Effects Of this carbonate give 1t some val
Nc On certain -)i's. but when We remember
nat very few soils indeed lack lime, that
!; caa he bought mucn more cncaply than
5the- commercial NATURES, aud that ltS
ie-om; snug AID nitritying effects are
much more marked when applied as quick
iue, oxide Of lime.l We are led TO doubt
,Le wisdom OF buying aSues with particu-
M reference 20 the lime they contain.
y h,ie We would not forget thai this lime
IA, some value We must slli regard ashes
a- q potash fertilizer, and We believe 1t
safe 20 take the amount OF contained pot
ash as the basis Of value, not forgetting
entirely the phosphoric aid. Pittsield
farmers sre not the only ones who have
used poor economy in buying ashes. ~
-aft there has not been difference
enough ia the prices OF the two kinds Of
l.he, Not that We would have lcschod
ashes sold tor less, Tor It NAV not be bad
economy TO pay Il cents per bushel Tor
them II w. take into account the prices Of
other commercial fertilizers. The poor
economy consists IN letting the soap aud
potash manufacturers BUY tue ashes at the
prices nat some Of them pay. l. farmers
w1a,h he littie ehyevder in his matter,
ei,aer sac manufacturers WoIll pay moro
Tor uulrarhcd. or sell tie leachei ashes
lcr--,~. " II joEDAN. b :.
NEW GLOUCESTEE.