320 AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 



lies; to sucli therefore ashes are found to be an essential ma 

 nure. But the immediate benefit of such an application is 

 most perceptible upon leguminous plants, such as clover, peas, 

 beans, &c. Applied to grass land, as a top dressing, it roots 

 out the moss, and promotes the growth of white clover, where 

 it is indigenous to the soil. On Red clover, it will act more 

 certainly in connection with plaster. If applied in large doses 

 to poor thin soils it is believed to act injuriously by causing a 

 rapid disappearance of the organic matter, but this may be pre 

 vented by the use of peat&amp;gt; barn-yard manures, &c., at the same 

 time. 



In connection with all wood-ashes is a large quantity of 

 charcoal, and imperfectly burned carbonaceous matter, which 

 also add to the value of the manure. 



Unleached ashes act at once, most rapidly and powerfully ; 

 leached ashes act more slowly, but continue to act for many 

 years after being applied. In the large heaps of such ashes, 

 as everywhere accumulate in the west around the asheries, we 

 neglect a most useful source of fertility ; and where they have 

 thus lain for a length of time, they are probably, to a consider 

 able extent, again rendered soluble. Their effect on the me 

 chanical condition of the soil is also worthy of notice. They 

 render sands more compact and retentive of water, while they 

 separate and render friable, heavy clays. 



In practice, they should always be placed in the soil, where 

 the roots can come in contact with them. 



It is a general custom to apply ashes to com, on the surface 

 of the ground, but in this way the plant can receive no benefit 

 except from the little that is soluble and is carried down by 

 rain ; but placed in the ground previous to planting, the roots 

 and chemical action will afford many elements not available in 

 the other way. The only advantage of placing ashes on the 

 surface is the protecting of the plant against grubs. The seed, 

 however, should not come in immediate contact with the ashes. 



