476 KEPORT OF THE SECRBTAKY OF THE 



A similar treatment of diseased trees in Bentor Harbor, bv 

 placing ashes in a shallow trench at the root of the tree, and 

 pouring over the ashes and around the roots boiling water, has 

 resulted in curing the tree. 



ANALYSIS OF ASH. 



The ash obtained by burning a diseased peach tree was care- 

 fully analyzed ; also the ash from a healthy tree growing in 

 ray garden. The results of the analysis are as follows : 



White Healthy 



Yellows. Tree. 



Carbonate of Potash. 7.24 10.38 



Carbonate of Soda 3.82 3.12 



Chloride of Sodium 31 .13 



Sulphate of Lime - 1.41 .93 



Carbonate of Lime - 66.61 63.10 



Phosphate of Lime 13.16 15.71 



Carbonate of Magnesia. 5.05 5.31 



Silicic Acid...- 1.40 1.31 



Oxide of Iron 84 .92 



Moisture and lo.ss .26 .30 



100. 100. 



Perhaps the first impression which will arise from looking 

 •oyer these results of analysis will be the close resemblance in 

 their composition. This impression will be strengthened when 

 "we reflect how much the composition of ashes of the same 

 kind of plant will vary according to the age of the plant, the 

 kind of soil on which it grows, and the degree of vigor in its 

 development. Perhaps it might with justice be said that the 

 results of chemical analysis, like those of microscopic examin- 

 ation, are merely negative. 



But without at once pronouncing on the justice of this con- 

 clusion, let us look more carefully at the analysis and see if 

 any significant variation appears in the result. The most 

 marked difference is the excess of carbonate of potash (3.0G 

 per cent) and of phosphate of lime (2.55 per cent) in the ash 

 of a healthy tree over that of the diseased tree. Potash is the 

 •most characteristic clement in the ash of laud plants, just as 



