THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



prove the mechanical condition of both 

 clayey and sandy soils. 



The amount of these fertilizing con- 

 stituents contained in an ash will vary 

 according to the source from which it is 

 derived. The ash from young branches 

 will be richer in potash than that from 

 the older parts of the tree. Different 

 soils will supply varying quantities of 

 potash, phosphoric and lime. The fol- 

 lowing table gives the composition of a 

 few of the more common ashes that we 

 have analyzed. The ashes were obtained 

 by carefully reducing the several woods 

 to a comparatively white ash. Each 

 sample, therefore, is true to name. The 

 figures given express the percentages of 

 the various constituents contained in 

 the dry ash : 



•piov 

 oijnqdjns 



IB I— I ^H 



•uojj 



"BisauSBj^ 



aiui'j 



•ppv 



ouoqdsoq^ 



•qs'B^Od; 



to ifi CO CO 



5 fe i3 <« 

 O oQ pq M 



The figures show clearly why ash 

 buyers are so anxious to get black ash 

 or swamp elm ashes, but at the same 

 time it must not be forgotten that these 



ashes are very light and bulky ; conse- 

 quently there may be more potash in 

 one measured bushel of hard maple ash 

 than in the same bulk of swamp elm 

 ash. The hard woods contain a larger 

 quantity of phosphoric acid than the 

 soft woods. Cedar, as would be ex- 

 pected, is poor in both potash and 

 phosphoric acid. The price of potash 

 and phosphoric acid, in the form of 

 artificial fertilizer, during the last year, 

 has been 4 and 4)4 cents per pound 

 respectively. Figuring the value of the 

 above ashes on this basis, we have the 

 following as their value per ton : 



Hard Maple 



Beech 



Cedar 



Swamp Elm 

 Black Ash . . 



? 7 44 



6 06 



2 «4 



28 29 



20 24 





2 71 

 1 25 



88 



40 



1 08 



$10 12 



7 35 



3 51 



28 69 



21 32 



In many parts of the Province ashes 

 can be bought from the producer at 

 from 3 to 5 cents per bushel, or at a 

 rate of $1.25 to $2.10 per ton. These 

 ashes, in many cases, will contain 10 to 

 1 5 per cent, of moisture, but after allow- 

 ing for this, we see how far the price 

 received is from their real value. By 

 reference to the table of analysis in the 

 College Report, and knowing from what 

 woods the ashes on hand were obtained, 

 one may calculate — at least approxi- 

 mately — their value. But the best way 

 to know their value is by noting the 

 increased yield when they are applied to 

 crops requiring potash. 



The caring for and application of 

 ashes must receive special attention. If 

 not properly housed while accumulating, 

 much of the soluble plant food will be 

 lost by leaching. If not applied to 



106 



