Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-07-31
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS.
ceai nnd wood Aahes for Orchards,

cesi and wood AHhes for Orchards.
A practical farmer who burns both GOAL
and wood in different stoves makes
praolIos OF mixing the sshes and applying
sil on his young orchard In the spring.
Hs believes that the potash OF the wood
Is elective In small quantities, and that
lie addition 10 the GOAL ashes makes the
latter mnch rlare ahaorptive OF ammonia
or nitric aoid from tbs atmosphere. Al
any rate, he 6nds good Tssulis from the
mixture, and his young orchard is usually
thrifty and productive.
A correspondent OF the Southsrn Ciilti-
RAZOR says. / find the above extract in |
Tie New York Weekly Herald OF April |
25lb, and wish 10 add that in regard TO |
mixture OF coal aud wood ashes rs a means
Of improving orr orchards, and the
euggeAtiDn that the mixture caused an
absorption Of ammonia OF nitric acid from
the atmosphere, this writer's experience
simply corroborates my own observation
a. to- mixture Of acid phosphate and
kairit He believe that the mingling OF
the two kinds Of ashes causes an increased
absorption, implying that an absorption
took place any way, whether mixed or
not. agree with him, but do not believe
the ammonia, or nitric acid, was alb
sorbed from the atmosphere, hut that
any combination OF minerals in the state
OF fine powder constituting or fairly
approximating ash matter in soluble
state, will cAnse formation Of ammonia
or nitric acid as the mixture is more or
less moist. In mixing phosphate and
kainit this spring the smell of ammonia
was perceptible in few hours after COM
bining them, and having top.dressed my
garden after planting with the mixture,
and not having rain for a couple Of weeks
afterwards, the presence Of ammonia was
clearly disooverable until eopious rain
fall washed the Ingredients into the soil.
In the soil, during moist, warm weather,
think this formation contains mere or
less at the expense OF the atmosphere but
the smell 10 absorbed, The power OF
absorption possessed by the soil and its
capacity for retaining gases and minerals
in q soluble state or which the plant
rootlets can readily render soluble ia one
Of the wise provisions of the Great
Architect in outstanding the resources sc
bountiiully bestowed upon mankind. II
fact the soil is a vast chemical laboratory
continually and untiringly at work con
verting, under favorable conditions, the
iasoluble minerals Of the soil to al
assimilable condition, and then, WheI
not needed or appropriated by plants
reverting the same to prevent washing
out and holding them tenaciously anti
wanted. II is true, we know but littl
comparatively of the chemical actions AM
combinations under the influence of hes
and moisture in the soil, but most abb
and learned investigators are at w0rl
now, as they have been for the past a
odd years, studying the secrets Of natur
for the the benefit Of agriculture and, a
that sensible man under his bumorou
guise, 'Bill Arp" truly infers, futul
\ generations will bring wonderful in
crease Of population, but future INTEL
genoe will be- equal to making our oommo
mother, the soil, support them. Whe
we reflect that in the north Of Europe q
acre OF land has produced 100 bushels
wheat, an acre in Lancaster count.
South Carolina, has made 1870 bushels
oats, and the same area in the mountain
of North Csrolins has yielded 45 sho
tons, or 1900 bushels, Of Irish potatoe
we should have no uneAsiness ss TO Il
future, bat should feel quite humble
our own poor success.