REPORT OF THE CHEMIST - 193 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



ASHES FROM REFUSE PAPER, SWEEPINGS, ETC. 



Laby. No. 7786. — In the following data are given the fertilizing value of ashes 

 from the burning of waste paper, floor sweepings, etc., etc.. as resulting from the daily 

 cleaning of a large educational institution in Quebec province. The figures no doubt 

 are fairly representative of material of this kind: — 



Moisture -64 per cent. 



Organic and volatile matter 9-30 



Mineral matter insoluble in acid 71-37 



Mineral matter soluble in acid (by difference).. .. 18-69 



it 



100-00 



Nitrogen -17 



Phosphoric acid -34 



Potash -64 



Lime 4-87 



« 



The results indicate a very low fertilizing value, but the ashes would on some 

 soils — both heavy and light — be of additional use from their lime-content. 



SOOT. 



A sample of soot, Laby. No. 7706, taken from the bottom of a large power-house 

 chimney, St. John, N.B., has been examined. Coke, it is stated, was the principal 

 fuel used. 



Moisture '6-74 per cent. 



Organic and volatile matter 49-19 



Ash -- 44-07 " 



100-00 " 



Nitrogen 1-76 



Phosphoric acid -14 



Potash.. -27 



A sample of soot collected last summer from a chimney in one of the residences 

 on the Experimental Parm, Ottawa, the fuel used being hard coal, gave 1-53 per cent 

 nitrogen; and one from St. Catharines, Ont., 1-04 per cent nitrogen. 



The chief fertilizing value of soot lies in the nitrogen it contains which is 

 very largely present as sulphate of ammonia, a form readily available for plant growth. 

 It contains, in addition, small quantities of phosphoric acid and potash. Soot is a 

 variable material, and particularly so as to its nitrogen-content, and hence samples 

 obtained under different circumstances have often widely different values. 



Its principal use has been as a top dressing for cereals and pastures. It is. also 

 employed in the greenhouse and garden, where it acts beneficially both as a fertilizer 

 and in preventing the attack of certain pests. 



WHEAT STRAW ASH. 



Over large areas in the Northwestern provinces, the only practical method at 

 present of disposing of the large amount of straw from the wheat fields is by fire. The 

 straw may be burnt in large piles and, again, may be used as fuel for threshing 



16—13 



