56 FOREST CULTURE AND 
pose of this material for fuel. The recommendation 
carries with it still more weight, if we remember how 
on many places the close growth of suckers or seed- 
lings has to be thinned to allow of space for the new 
and unimpaired upgrowth of actual timber ; whereas, 
moreover, now the remnants at places where trees 
have been felled, often block by impenetrable barri- 
cades the accessible lines of traffic through the forests, 
and are frequently the cause of the extensive confia- 
grations of the woods, by placing so much combus- 
tible, dry, and mostly oily material within the easy 
reach of the current of flames. Should, unfortunately, 
the fiery element have anywhere swept through the 
forest, it may then prove advantageous to collect the 
fresh ashes before they are soaked by rain, with the 
object of extracting thus large quantities of potash. 
The whole process of potash preparation being one of 
the simplest kind, and involving only a very trifling 
expense in casks and boiling-pans, can be carried out 
anywhere as a by-work, the profit thus being not 
reduced by skilled or heavy labor or by costly plant. 
The demand for potash must always be considerable, 
as it is required for the factories of niter (particularly 
from soda saltpeter), one of the three principal in- 
gredients of gunpowder and blasting-powder ; it is 
needed also for glass, alum, various kinds of soaps, 
dyes, and many chemicals.* 
Potash, although universally distributed, is best 
obtained in the manner indicated. I may remark, 
however, though deviating from my subject, that it is 
one of the most potent constituents in all manures, 
RS 
* Flint-glass contains about a fifth pure pearlash ; crown-glass, the best 
window-glass, rather more than a quarter. Some potash-niter is wanted also 
in either case, : 
