232 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Composition of the ashes of different woods, B. Haroourt (On- 

 tario Ayr. Col. and Expt. Farm Rpt. 1897, pp. 27-31). — In continuation 

 of previous work (E. S. E., 9, p. 435), the following analyses of ashes of 

 different woods were made : 



Composition of the ash of different kinds of wood and of coat and garbage. 



*' The fact that these ashes were pure and prepared from the wood 

 only, explains why the percentages of mineral constituents are so much 

 higher in those found in the average ashes in the market." 



Some of the ashes were digested in 1 per cent citric acid 1 with the 

 following results : 



Percentages of available potash, phosphoric acid, and lime in different kinds of ashes. 



"Nearly 80 per cent of the total potash of the birch ash was found in the solution 

 and practically the whole of that of the walnut ash. An average of the 9 samples 

 experimented with shows that 87. 5 per cent of the total potash of the different ashes 

 was soluble in the citric-acid solution. According to this method of determining 

 availability of plant food, all but 12.5 per cent of the potash would be in a form in 

 which growing plants could make use of it at once. Smaller amounts of the phos- 

 phoric acid and lime appeared to be soluble. In some cases the amount of phosphoric 

 acid was so small that it was not determined, but simply entered as traces." 



Experiments on the availability of fertilizer nitrogen, S. W. 

 Johnson, B. H. Jenkins, and W. E. Britton (Connecticut State Sta. 

 Rpt. 1S97, pp. 257-277). — This is a continuation of work of previous 



1 See also Canada Expt. Farms Rpt. 1896, p. 201 (E. S. R., 9, p. 825). 



