The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-03-22
FARM AMP ORCHARD
Noes and Agricultural Colleges and Erpe,A sst,,.
Oregon and Washlofo Specially Suitable pochfc Coo fo..

THE VALUE or WOOD ASHES AS
A FERTILIZER.
BY Prof. H. v. Tartar OF the Depart.
ment OF Chemistry at the Oregon
Agricultural College,
Oregon Agricultural College, Cor
Wallis, Ore.-During each year a
goodly number of inquiries are re-
ceived at this laboratory in regard
to the value of wood ashes as a
fertilizer. For this reason the writer
thought the following brief summary
might afford useful information to
some.
Wood ashes are by-product of
every farm and around some of the
towns and cities they can be OBJ
tanned in considerable quantity sim
ply for the hauling. The farmer
should endeavor to use those cheap
sources of plant food near at hand
before entering the market to pur-
chase the expensive commercial fer
tilizers and wood ashes should re-
ceive his attention
Wood ashes are of value as fer
tilizer for three reasons: First, for
certain very valuable plant foods
they. contain; second, for the effect
they have in neutralizing Injurious
acids in some soils; third, for their
physical action on the soil. The
plant foods which are found in wood
ashes are potash, phosphorus, and
lime. Potash is one of the most
important of the mineral nutrients
required by the plant. 1t is always
quite evenly distributed throughout
the growing plant and generally oc-
ours in the entire plant in the largest
proportion OF any Of the essential
mineral elements. The function of
potash is apparently to aid in the
production and transportation of the
carbohydrate compounds, such as
starch and sugar, and thus Indirectly
in the formation of all organic mat
ter. Phosphorus is found in all parts
of plants and is one of the mineral
foods absolutely essential to plant
growth. It's function is to aid in the
production and transportation of the
proteid bodies, albuminous sub
stances. 1t is an essential cOnstitu-
ent of every cell in the growing
plant. The other plant food men,
toned, lime, is also essential to
plant nutrition. None Of the higher
plants can reach maturity without
a normal supply. Some plants like
clover, beans, and alfalfa, require
so much for their development that
they are called lime plants In
the leaves it appears to have special
function of aiding in the construc-
ton of the cell walls. No new plant
aid of lime. In most soils, however,
lime is present in sufficient abund
ance to meet the demands of growing
plants. Wood ashes always contain
the three plant foods mentioned
above. Their composition is some
what variable, for not only do diff
ferent varieties of trees have vary
ing quantities of ash but in the
same variety the bark and twigs will
give an ash quite different in guam
+ tity and composition from that fur
nished by the wood itself. In gen.
eral, the hard woods, such as oak
and maple, furnish quality of ash
superior in quality for fertilizing
purposes to that afforded by the soft
woods, such as fir and pine. The
following table shows the average
amounts of potash, phosphorus and
lime found in 81 samples of wood
ashes:
Potash ........... $50 per cent
Phosphorus Gas P2O5) 100 per cent
Lime ..............3 1880 per cent
These figures indicate that average
wood ashes contain as much potash
as many of the brands of CONNER
cial fertilizer
Beside the plant foods contained
wood ashes are valuable for neutral
izing acid Tor "sour') soils and in
| improving the texture of soils. The
potash and lime present in ashes are
almost wholly in the form of the
carbonates. Both carbonate of pot
ash and carbonate of lime react with
the acids in soils to make them neu-
trail. From the figures given above
| it is evident that one ton of ordinary
ashes would have as great an effect
| in neutralizing soil acidity as one.
third ton of quick lime. This is a
| fact which should receive the special
consideration of farmers in Western
Oregon where the soil is prevailingly
acid in reaction. Land treated with
wood ashes generally becomes more
amenable to culture, is readily kept
in good filth, and thus retains mois
ture in dry seasons and permits o.
easy drainage in wet seasons. These
i effects are probably due In a large
measure to the lime content Of ashes
One precaution that must always
be taken in the handling Of wood
ashes is that they should never be
exposed to the teaching action Of
rains before being appalled, to the
SOIL The potash is present in ashes
in a water soluble form and is easily
Ileached out. The amounts of potash
phosphorus and lime in ashes before
and after teaching are given In the
following table:
Unleached, Leached
per cent. per cent
Potash $50 IL.
Phosphorus Gas P2O5) 100 "a
i inc .34.1O 28.bt
The above figures show that there
has been a great loss OF potash DJ
Il fho teaching