Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-10-02
Wood Ashes as a Fertilizer.

ne great Importance oi agTicul-
turc in the worlds economy is in no
way more forcibly illustrated than
by the increasing attention given to
matters which pertain TO il, by peri
odicals of the highest order, even dis
tinctively literary or scientific. We
transfer the larger portion Of an ar
ticle with the above caption from the
columns Of the Scientific American,
TO our own, and with the greater
pleasure because the Scientific is al.
ways exact
How can best utilize that big heap
of ashes out by the wood pile : This
Is question which wc have no doubt
that hundreds Of the Apmc odd ihous.
ands OF farmers who read this paper
have suggested to themselves, now that
the milder weather renders drafts on
the wood pile less frequent. In nine
cases out OF ten, we wager that the
speaker excellent spouse Immediately
remarks that che is about TO sell them
to the soap maker; and the money
well, that Is her perquisitc, and It would
be very unfallant on our part TO ven
ture q suspicion as 10 its outlay. Still,
we dislike to see these ashes go TO the
soap boiler, and perhaps word as to
their value TO our farmer friend may
cause him TO think ns we do; 20 with a
word OF apology TO both madame and
the soap man for our unwarrantable in.
reference with their little traffic, we
venture to suggest that those ashes are
very much more valuable as fertilizer
than for lyc.
We suppose that every Agricultural
nowadays has some general idea Of the
principle Of restitution that is to say,
tho elements necessary TO the growth
of vegetables must be replaced and IL
they are not, the crop either fails ut.
tcrly, or At best is deficient in health
and growth. The amount Of these ele-
menu, phosphorus, lime, potash, and
several others, 10 be replaced varies ac
cording to the vegetables cultivated.
Thus potato crop from seven and
half acres OF land takes away the seed
constituents of four wheat crops, be.
sides about GOO pounds OF potash. The
average turnip produce Of the same
area removes the seed constituents OF
fous wheat crops and about 600 pounds
of potash. Similarly also grapes, clov.
or, peas, beans, lucerne, and nearly all
leguminous vegetables remove potash
in immense quantities. IL is evident
that in such cases potash is the mater.
ial which the land most requires to pro.
duce new crop. To buy potash and
add it TO the soil would be expensive
true, 1t may be procured in combination
with other substances in various fertil.
izers, but there is much simpler
source for it, and that source is the ash
hear, which otherwise the soap man pur.
chases.
Professor Storer, whose recent paper
on the fertilizlng properties of wood
ashes We find in the Bulletin Of the Bus.
seY Institution, gives the latest informa-
ton on the value Of this most useful
material. lie says that the analysis Of
thirteen samples of house ashes shows
range Of from TO los per cent. Of
potash, and from 0.4 TO 40 per cent. of
phosphoric acid. The lowest per cent.
ages of potash. 6 10 6.5. were from ash.
60 VI bDtAthlt phks anu
white pine wood, collected by soap
boiler in a country village. The highest
percentages, 10 to los, were in ashes OF
mixed beech, birch and maple in one
case, and in those Of pitch pine in the
other. Eight of the samples ranged, as
TO potash, from "a to g.5, the average
of them, as we'll as that Of all the thir.
teen samples, being about 81 per cent.
This, IL must be borne in mind, IL the
proportion of the chemists potash and
corresponds TO about l0l per cent. of
the potash of commerce. The material
Is useful dressing for the ground about
orchard trees, as IL not only improves
the soil, but prevents in considerable
degree the inroads of insects in the
roots and bark.
II only remains for us 10 show that
there Is not merely loss 10 the land
affected, but that a direct expenditure
of money is the result OF using ashes in
manner otherwise than we have
pointed out. In order TO thrive, the
farmer must keep his land in producing
condition, and, a. we have already re-
marked, to soils which require potash,
potash must be returned. Potash is
worth about six cents q pound, and
phosphoric acid is sold in the New
York markets for about l2l cents for
the same quantity. A barrel Of wood
ashes is bought by the soap maker for
cay twenty-five cents, and Il weighs LIS
pounds. These ashes contain on an
average, as we have already shown, 8
per cent, or 10 pounds Of potash, and
besides include two per cent, or two
and half pounds Of phOsphoric acid,l