154 LXl'ERniENTAL FARMS 



4-5 EDWARD VII., A. 1905 



In No. 1, there is a very large proportion of sand; in Xo. 2, the chief constituent 

 IS silica — also valueless as plant food. 



Though undoubtedly possessing a certain fertilizing value, both these ashes are 

 decidedly inferior to wood ashes. The potash and phosphoric acid are not pres/ent in 

 amounts larger than those found in most fertile soils,, but they are possibly in a more 

 available condition. The lime would prove 'ceneficial for certain soils, but we do not 

 think the data warrant any great expense in obtaining the ashes. No. 2, is the much 

 more valuable ash, as will be evident from the larger percentages of potavsh and phos- 

 j.horic acid. 



The most valuable fertilizing constituent of muck is nitrogen, and the nest in 

 importance is the organic matter. Both of these are lost in burning the muck, and 

 for this reason we counsel composting by one or other of the methods outlined in our 

 report for 1903. 



ASHES FROM CARBIDE WORKS. 



These so-called ' ashes ' are described as ' the residue from the manufacture of the 

 carbide' and were forwarded from the carbide factory at St. Catharines, Ont. They 

 are not to be confused with the residue from the acetylene gas machine, (resulting 

 from the action of water on carbide), which as we have repeatedly stated, is practi- 

 cally slacked lime. In the formation of carbide in the electrical furnace, the outside 

 portion of the mixture is but imperfectly acted upon and it is this, we conclude, 

 separated from the carbide, that constitutes these ' ashes.' 



Analysis, Per cent. 



Moisture ll.'Sl 



Loss on ignition (earbuu and coke.) lo'SS 



Residue, insoluble in acid 5'86 



Oxide of iron and alumina 3'50 



Lime (present nartly as carlonate) -16"53 



Potash ^ -12 



Phosphoric acid slight traces. 



Nitrogen " 1"02 



As regards the mineral constituents of plant food, it is evident that this material 

 can have no agricultural value, save for the lime it possesses. Phosphoric acid is ab- 

 sent, or practically so, and the potash is present in an amount less than that found 

 in ir.ost fertile soils. Such ashes, however, are undoubtedly of value as an am.endment 

 for soils deficient in lime or requiring lime io correct sourness or improve their tilth. 



The nitrogen is 1 per cent., or 20 lbs. per ton, and the question naturally presents 

 itself as to its availability for plant use. To obtain information regarding this matter 

 certain experiments were made, with the following results : — 



1. Ten (10) grams of ashes, to which were added 500 cc- of water, were distilled 

 with magnesia. Tliis resulted in obtaining '11 per cent nitrogen. This shows that 

 practically 10 per cent of the total nitrogen present exists in the lorm of ammonia 

 salts, or in such a combination that under the conditions of the experiment ammonium 

 compounds are formed. Distillation with water only gave '075 per cent nitrogen. 



2. Ten (10) grams of the material were digested in the cold with 200 cc. water 

 for two hours and filtered. 100 cc. of the filtrate were distilled, after being made 

 strongly alkaline with magnesia, but no ammonia was obtained. This proves that no 

 part of the nitrogen exists either as free ammonia or as ammonium salts. 



3. Two (2) grams were extracted in the cold with dilute sulphuric acid, filtered 

 nn.l filtrate made alkaline and dLstilled. Nitrog-en amounting to 0*91 per cent vras 

 obtained' 



