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REPORT OF THE CHEMIST 163 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



WOOD ASHES. 



Wlicn ?his^ fertilizer is sold at rates of $10 or higher per ton, it naturally falls 

 under the official inspection made anually by the Inland Revenue Department. If, 

 however, it is sold for less than $10 per ton it is exempt under the Fertilizer Act from 

 analysis by that department, and there is nothing to prevent the sale of partially 

 leached or otherwise adulterated ashes. That fraud in this matter is practiced will 

 be evident from the following analysis, which was made on a sample forwarded from 

 \Yolfvillo, N.S. These ashes, it was stated, had been imported by the carload from 

 (Ontario and v/ere Icing largely bought by fruit growers in the Annapolis valley: — 



Per cenL 



Moisture 28-17 



Insoluble residue 7-83 



Phosphoric acid 1-41 



Potash 4-28 



These ashes are decidedly below the average in potash and show an altogether too 

 high moisture content. Good, unleached wood ashes do not as a rule fall below a;"* 

 per cent potash^ and their percentage of moisture would be in the neighbourhood of 

 10 per cent. 



This examination cannot perhaps be considered as legitimately coming within 

 the scope of our work; the analysis, however, was made with the object of warning 

 farmers and orchardists against the risk of purchasing such materials without a 

 guarantee from the vendor. 



LIME KILN ASHES. 



A sample sent from Lennox Ferry, N.S., and said to be purchasable there at 

 $4.25 per ton, was submitted to analysis, with the following results : — 



Per cent. 



Potash 4-77 



Phosphoric acid 1-93 



Carbonate of lime &7-16 



For lime kiln ashes this sample shows an unusually high percentage of potash, 

 though in respect to this important constituent it is not the equal of good wood ashes. 

 It should prove an excellent fertilizer for soils in need of potash and lime and if the 

 sample is thoroughly rcpreseutative the price asked is quite reasonable. 



A further sample forwarded by a correspondent from near Montreal gave results 

 indicating a value far below that of the preceding: — 



Per cent. 



Potash 1-25 



Phosphoric acid -43 



Carbonate of lime 62-09 



Such ashes, valuing the fertilizing constituents at market prices, would be worth 

 about $2 per ton. 



ASHES FROM MUCK. 



It frequently happens in the clearing of muck lands by fire that the muck to a 

 considerable depth is burnt, leaving a more or less heavy coating of ashes. This occurs 

 more especially when the clearing is done during a dry season and may result in the 

 loss of a large area of valuable soil. If the deposit of muck is of considerable depth 

 the ashes formed by the burning of the surface 2 or 3 inches will be beneficial, and 

 this method may be employed to advantage, but care should be taken that the fire 

 does not burn too deeply, or more harm than good will result, 



16— Hi 



