The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-10-02
Manurfal Value of Ashes.

Manurtai t8lue OF asn6s
In selecting specimens OF ashes for
analysis, | have aimed to secure rep
resentative specimens directly from
the stove, furnace, ashery and the like,
in the condition in which the buyer
would find them. The market condi-
tion rather than the scientific condi-
ton has been the object in these Sc
lections.
In making an estimate OF the cash
value OF ashes, Icall potash worth five
cents q pound, insoluble phosphoric
acid five cents pound, and the mixed
Carbonates of lime and magnesia one
eighth OF a cent q pound, because these
materials would cost these sums if
purchased separately at wholesale
rates IN the open market.
When we consider how large an
amount of vegetable matter is repre-
scented by a small amount of ash, the
value of wood ashes for manure be-
comes evident. Thus only ten pounds
of ash remain from the combustion of
q cord OF hard wood, and only five
pounds from cord of soft wood. One
hundred pounds of ash represent the
mineral matter of eighty.tive bushels
of wheat, eighty-fve bushels of corn,
or ton OF timothy hay. Eleven tons
OF goOseberrles, grapes, blackberries,
peaches or apples would each contain
only 100 pounds of ash. Seven tons
of cherries, plums or raspberries con-
tain only 100 pounds of mineral mat
ter. Small as is the amount of ash, it
is still Indispensable for the produc-
ton of these crops, and must be pres
ent in the soil in available form before
profitable cultivationis possible. The
ash in all these crops is not Identical
in composition, though there is q GER
tain similarity in the ash of all Guilt
waited plants.
Hardwood ashes were taken from
my kitchen stove, the fuel being a.
mixture of beech and hard maple.
Small fragments of charcoal were
scattered through the ashes and lit
tie sand from dirt adhering to the
wood. Ninety-three per cent. was sol
uble in dilute hydrochloric acid. The
potash constituted "a per cent, and
phosphoric acid 6 per cent. One
hundred pounds are worth 81.
have just received letter from an
intelligent fruit-grower, in which he
says: 81 can get pure, dry, hard wood
ashes at $500 per ton here, and the
same mixed with fish offal, half and
half, at So per ton, Which is the best
for apples, pears, grapes and berries,
fine raw bone at $38, or the pure
ashes, or ashes and fish offal?" My
answer is, whatever you neglect to
buy, do not fail to buy all the hard
wood ashes your means will allow, or
your land needs, when you can get
them for SO 20 ton.
| had leached ashes from tannery
IN Lansing, the teaching having been
carried as far as possible. Eighty
nine per cent. was soluble in acid
The potash was 1.6 per cent. and
phosphoric acid 6.S; value of 100
pounds, so cents. If leached ashes
are of enough value to be bought
in carloads in Michigan and carried by
rail to Buffalo to make commercial
manures for Michigan farmers, then
they are valuable enough to be used
as manure at home, where they cost
little or nothing, and the expense of
double transportation is saved.
Soft-wood ashes were obtained from
the ash pit OF the furnace of planning
mill in Lansing, being the ashes from
planings Of pine, hemlock, fir and bass
wood lumber, with some soft-coal ash
mixed In. It represents the ash from
sawmill and planning mill furnaces.
Fifty per cent OF the ash was soluble
IN acid and so much soluble silica was
IN the ash that when treated with acid
1t formed jelly-like mass of precipi-
tated silica. The ash contained IL
per cent. potash and per cent.
phosphoric acid. Onehundred pounds
We're worth S4 cents.
Corn-cob ashes were obtained by
burning cobs in the open air. Seventy
per cent. was soluble in acid, the pot
ash represented 45 per cent. and
the phosphoric acid A. per cent; the
value OF 100 pounds OF corn-cob ashes
was determined at S2.5
Tannery ash was obtained from the
furnace in Lansing where spent tan