62 NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



The bark of the twigs gave me, on submitting the ash to 

 analysis : 



Potash, 1.27 



Soda, 4.13 



Chlorine, 0.13 



Sulphuric acid, trace, 



Phosphates of lime, magnesia and peroxide of iron, 14.15 



Carbonic acid, 30.33 



Lime, 47.72 



Magnesia, 0.20 



Silica, 0.65 



Soluble silica, , 0.55 



Organic matter, 1.52 



100.09 



The wood of the twigs decays with the bark, but the wood, 

 as will be seen, is richer in fertilizing matter than the bark. 

 It has the following elements : 



Potash, 9.74 



Soda, , 6.89 



Sodium, 0.16 



Chlorine, 0.25 



Phosphates of lime, magnesia and peroxide of iron, 23.60 



Carbonic acid, 17.45 



Lime, 34.10 



Magnesia, 0.50 



Silica, 0.55 



Soluble silica, 0.60 



Organic matter, 5.90 



99.99 x 



The outside wood slowly decays beneath the bark, or after 

 it has fallen and furnishes an ash rich in potash and the phos 

 phates of lime, magnesia, etc. While standing the process is 

 certainly very slow, but it will ultimately be reduced to a 

 substance equivalent to an ash having the following composi 

 tion, viz: 



Potash, 13.41 



Soda, 0.62 



Sodium, 2,78 



