The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-11-01
LESSONS TAUGHT BY WAR;
POTASH FOUND At HOME
Wood Ashes. Usually Thrown Away,
Have Il Value for Every
Farmer.
THOUGHTS ON HoMELY SUBJECT
Experts Tell How Virginia Farmers
May Find Much of Needed Potash
on Their Own PreniiseS-Savc
Wood Ashes.


While wars. even at n distance are
! fun OF horrors the world over and bring
| industrial and financial troubles to in
noccn, bystanIers, thousands of miles
ava. they may also bring some bless
ings in the way OF valuab bic lessons and
the like.
\ circular from the Agricultural
Department of the United states just
issued, is OF great interest TO Virginia
| farmers Ii the European war should
cause our large annual imports Of pot
ash 10 dwindle. many farmers will
look to wood ashes, among other sub
stances, to rcplenish the potash sup
ply. While the amount Of wood ashes
! that farmer could accumulate OH his
own farm would hardly ever be suTi
cient to supply mis- need for potash.
i nevertheless. if they are carefully
stored and not permitted to leach.
they may he Of considerably bic value To
him. Wood ashes arc now a factor
in Canuda, being considered regular
| commercial commodity, and the large
lumber mllls aud other plants using
wood or sawdust for fuel in this coun-
try which al present make no use Of
the ashes from their furnaces or waste
piles, may find il profitable TO store
and sell them II the demand warrant
it,
According TO this governmental cir
cular. wool ashes may be prciitab bly,
applied as a top dressing to grass land
and to pastures where they will en-
courage the growth OF clover and bet
ter kinds of grasses. which Will then
crowd out inferior kinds and weeds.
Wood ashes may be also used for corn
and roots. Because of their lime con-
tent they arc not SO good for potatoes,
although sometimes used for this crop.
oLD-TIME: woRN-oUT SOILS
GREATLY HELPED
In New England, where farmers have
| had TO look more carefully to the re-
moving OF the old soils than in some of
the newer sections OF the country. wood
ashes have long been appreciated.
Ashes Indirectly increase the available
nitrogen of the organic matter in the
soil. aud have been known TO do cX
cellent service in Europe on drained
E'oor!and.
BESIDES the potash, ashes contain
other ingredients which are of value
to plants. namely. abou; or per
cent of phosphoric actG, u little mag
nesia and great deal of lime. The
Importance of these last-named Gle
mcnts is made plain by the esteem in
which lcached ashes are held by some
ashes all but very small portion of
the potash has been washed out Tie
farmer who wishes to restore potash to
the soil by the use of ashes should
take great care that they IRE kept dry
and are not allowed to leach at all
Many housewives save their hous..
ashes and leach out the potash for use
in making soap They may now have
an ndditicnai reason for conserving
them. namely, their Increased value AS
Itt,t h..y t,,l.A
been said. ashes to he used for the ira
provcment of the soil should not be
permitted to leach.
Ashes from hardwuoGs tdeciduous
trcce) arc richer In both phosphorus
and potash than those from pines and
other softwoods iconifers). Ashes
from oak. elm, maple and hickory have
more potash than those from pine.
The ashes of twiGs faGgots for en-
ampic) arc worth more for aGricul-
tural purposes than the ashes OF heart
wood taken from the middle OF an old
tree. In general. the smaller and
younger the wood burned. the better
the ashes. The ashes of coal do not con-
tain enough potash 20 make them val
liable in this connection.
Ordinary house ashes contain on the
average about $ or per cent OF potash
and : per ,>nt Of phosphorus acid. In
vcstigatorS have considered tha; there
is enough potash and phoaphovic acid
in bushcl OF ashes to make it worth
~ or 70 cents. besides that, some 10
or IL cents additional might BIO al
lowed for the "alkali power" of the
ashee. This power is that which
enables ashes to rot weeds and to fer
ment peat OF course, prices vary with
local conditions.
IT wood ashes are purchased the
farmer should assure himself that they
have never been contaminat ed with coal
n Sbrss q el with
ashes. With these facts determined.
the place OF burning has no effect on
the value of the ashes rs fertilizer.
They are equally satisfactory whether
taken from stove, a Fireplace or 4
bonfire.