" JX)OG AS"; OR, THE ASH OF THE ALKALI BUSH. 



By Arthur Stead, B.Sc, F.C.S. 



There is a plant, Mcsciuhi ianthcnium junceiiiii, which grows 

 luxuriantly in many of the Karroo districts, i.e.^ the districts of 

 Aliddclljurg, Colesherg. Hanover, Richmond, Britstown, Vic- 

 toria West, Prieska, Carnarvon, Beaufort West, Fraserhurg, 

 and De Aar. The jjlant attains quite a respectahle size, it heing 

 not uncommon to see hushes of ahout three feet in height and 

 four to five feet in diameter. 



It is frequently stated, in reference to this hush, tliat it is 

 killing off the useful herhage of the veld; but probably this is a 

 case of a bush being able to thrive under soil conditions which 

 do not permit of the growth of the plants useful for fodder 

 purposes, which it is supposed to be destroying. Sporadic 

 attempts are made to eradicate the weed, but without much suc- 

 cess. It is cut off near the ground and does not grow again, 

 l)Ut, Ijcing a prolihc seeder, many young plants usually spring 

 uj) for every one eradicated. 



The cut-off bushes are collected and burnt to an ash, which 

 is pm in l)ags so as to make up from 140 to 150 lbs. in weight. 

 The best time to burn is from April to ^lay or June. 



Last winter the Middelburg municipal authorities burnt 692 

 bags of ash, hrstl\- to give employment to out-of-works, and 

 secondly, to attempt to clear a portion of the commonage, of 

 which the bush had taken almost complete possession. 



The cost of burning, bagging and cartage worked out at 

 ai)proximately 2.2 shillings i)er Ijag of 140 lbs. of ash ])roduced. 

 " Loog as " as at one time ver\- much used in making soa]). That 

 was before the advent of railways and caustic soda. The hitter 

 has now a])])arently almost totally supplanted it, with the result 

 that one now seldom receives an offer to burn one's ash bushes 

 on the halves, or. indeed, on any other terms, as was formerly 

 the case. 



In order to ascertain its manurial value, a sanij^le of last 

 year's 1 turning was obtained. On analysis it was found to 

 contain : 



Moisture , 5-3 l^er cent. 



- Ins:)luble inorganic matter 37.0 



Water soluble Potash (K,,()) 22.2 



K.,CO., 32.59 per cent. 



Water'solu'bie Soda (Na.O) IT.2 



Xa.X'O.. 19. 15 ])er cent. 



In addition, there were small (|uantities of soluble phos- 

 phates, chlorides, and sulphates. The alkalies are present almost 

 entirelv as carbonates. 



The manuarial value of this material calculated on its potash 

 content- only is about double that of the normal i)rice of kainit. 



At the present time, however, it is impossible to obtain 

 quotations for potassic fertilizers of any description owing to^ 



