The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-12-20
Value of Wood Ashes.
They Contain Lime, Potash and Phos-
phoric Acid.

Wood contains about per cent ash
and bark contains from to per cent of
ash. Good, merchantable cord wood
carries about one per cent of ash. Wood
from limbs has relatively more bark and
higher ash content. Wood ashes vary
in composition with the kind of wood
but on the average good, hard wood
ashes carry abont so per cent of lime, 8
per cent of potash and one per cent of in
soluble phosphoric acid. The ashes from
a cord of good hard wood will carry about
20 pounds of lime, more than pounds of
potash and about half a pound of phos-
phoric acid At present market prices
these are worth rather more than dol
lar. A cord of limb wood would furnish
more ashes and have a higher value.
coupled with the fact that on some soils
and with some crops potash is the limit
ing factor in plant growth and crop pro-
duction, the agricultural value of potash
may greatly exceed its monetary value.
Potash is volatile at not very high
temperature so that in the case of fires
that are pushed SO as to make hot fire
there is always some loss of potash. For
this reason ashes from a fireplace or from
will usually carry more potash than cook
stove ashes and far more than furnace
ashes from mill boilers.
As potash is water soluble ashes must
be stored in dry place protected from
rain in order to be of the highest value.
Most of the wood ashes of commerce
have been exposed to the elements and
have thus lost quite a part of their value.
Ashes come under the fertilizer law and
one should purchase car lots of ashes only
under definite guaranty for potash and
lime. Some ashes sold in Maine in car
lots in 1917 as unleached ashes carried
less than per cent of potash These
were wet and either had been exposed to
rain or were leached ashes.
The potash in ashes is the form of po-
alkaline. This tends to make land to
which ashes are applied alkaline. AS
alkaline soils are favorable to growth of
the fungus that causes potato scab, under
normal conditions the use of ashes for
growing potatoes has been discouraged.
But potatoes require potash for their
growth. Scabby potatoes are Just as
nutritious and from a food standpoint as
valuable as smooth potatoes.
At the present time where the i'm
portant thing is to grow food one should
not hesitate to use wood ashes on pota-
toes when potash in other forms cannot
be had. For potatoes they should be ap-
piled broadcast at the rate of about Is
bushels per acre. They can be put on
with some makes of manure spreaders
but it must be possible to regulate the
delivery so that they will not be applied
too heavily.
Ashes have always been a valuable
farm asset and in these times of war
necessities are of special importance for
agriculture. They are Just as good on
the village or suburban garden as on the
farm. Coal ashes carry no plant food
that is available. They may improve
the mechanical condition of light, sandy
soil, but otherwise have no agricultural
value.
Burn wood for cooking and for warm
ing the home. Save the ashes and apply
them to the soil in which potash requir-
ing crops are to be grown. This will
save coal for the industries such as NUM-
ton factories and railroad transportation
of war freight. It will also add to the
amount of home grown food.
CHAS. D. WOODS, Director.