Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-04-10
When and Where to Apply Wood Ashes.

saline llaHufcs ana also among the
most economical, are coming TO be
more and more appreciated every
year. Farmers now, as rule, hus-
band every pound made on the farm
and buy them whenever they can be
procured mt reasonable rate. The
time has gone by for exchanging
sashes from good hard wood for few
pounds of soap.
Leachcd ashes, while less valuable,
contain all the elements Of unlcach-
cd, having been deprived only of u
part Of their potash and soda. Ashes
benefit all soils not already rich in
the principles they contain, and may
be drilled in with roots and grain,
sown broadcast on meadows or pas
lures, or mixed with the muck heap.
The quantity Of ashes TO be ap-
piled to the acre depends as does
that Of all fertilizers, OH the charac-
ter Of the soil and crop cultivated.
Crops which exhaust the salts, az
potatoes, turnips and all roots, clover,
luccrn, peas, beans and the grasses,
are benefited by ashes. The crops
named thrive well under an applica-
ton Of ashes with bone-dust, and
their effects are also strengthened
when mixed with gypsum. Light
soils call for light dressings, say from
ten to fourteen bushels of unlcached
and twice that quantity of lcachcd
ashes per acre. Rich lands or clays
bear heavier dressings. Repeated
dressings of ashes like repeated dress
ings Of lime or gypsum, without
corresponding addition of vegetable
or barnyard manures are not admis-
sible, for they will eventually exhaust
lands when applied alone. Where
the entire surface Of the soil is COW
cred with vegetable growth either Of
the three materials mentioned acts
with great effect For this reason
ashes may be applied unmixed with
other fertilizers to meadow lands for
longer time than to any other crop.
In reply TO questions asked nj the
Elmira q. " Farmers Club in
regard TO the value of lcachcd ashes
and the best manner Of applying
them TO general crops, AZ corn, wheat
and oats, the following information
was gained Lcachcd ashes vary 50
much in their character that no pre-
else estimate OF their value can bc
made. Heavy clay is liable to be in
juriously compactcd by liberal dress
iugs of ashes, leacbcd or unleached,
unless the land Is sod, in which case
ashes spread on the surface tend TO
increase the crop OF grass. The
safest and best use OF lcachcd ashes
on most kinds OF soil is spreading
them on old meadow or old pasture.
Working them into land on which
potatoes are Ia be planted in the same
season is also n good way TO use
them. Good ashes make valuable
dressing for wheat land and for corn,
but the leachcd ashes are too unccr.
tain in their character TO recommend
for such use.
Coal ashes are inferior in quality
W Nlhot lloUu NOpi anu NtEtAA tltN,
but are nevertheless of value and are
to be applied to the soil in a similar
manner, as they tend with their
abundance of cindcrs TO the mechan.
ical division OF soils. Coal ashes are
beneficial TO heavy rather than light
soils.
Farmers, in consideration of the
above facts, cannot be too strongly
encouraged TO follow the practice of
collecting and reducing TO ashes oil
the rubbish of the farm not other.
wise available, such rs brush, old
wood, sods, rags-in fact everything
which cumbcrs the place as useless
matter. Burnt earth is not only n
manure in itself, but is most useful
TO mix with artificial fertilizers which
cannot be easily distributed alone or
too strong TO SOW among seed unmix-
ed with other material.