38 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



managed pastures, and it also increases for a time in mea- 

 dows. It will continue to do so for an indefinite period, if 

 the ashes of plants are added to the soil, nearly to the amount 

 of the mineral ingredients taken off. With this increase in 

 the organic elements of vegetation, (if we were certain that 

 nitrogen is accumulated in the same ratio, which we are not), 

 it is evident that the salts alone would then be wanting to 

 give the utmost luxuriance ; and these are found combined in 

 the most convenient and generally the most economical 

 form as ashes. But care is necessary that they be not added 

 in excess. 



Coal Ashes. The bituminous and anthracite coals afford 

 ashes, and although inferior in quality to those made from 

 wood and vegetables, are like them, a valuable manure, and 

 they should be applied to the land in a similar manner. If 

 they contain many cinders, from not having been thoroughly 

 burned, they are more suited to heavy than to light soils, as 

 they tend to their mechanical division, which though benefi- 

 cial to the former, are injurious to the latter. 



Ashes of Sea Weeds or Marine Plants. When from 

 its quantity or remoteness, it is inconvenient to carry the 

 sea- weed to the soil, which abounds on most of our sea- 

 coasts, it can be burned ; when it will be found to yield a 

 large proportion of ash, which is peculiarly rich in soda. 

 This is of great value to the farmer. Several species of the 

 fuci have for a long period been collected and burned on the 

 northern coasts of Scotland, Norway and the Baltic, forming 

 an article of commerce under the name of kelp. Its value 

 consisted in its alkaline properties, for which it was much 

 used by the glass and soap-makers, the bleachers, and for 

 other uses in the arts. For these purposes, it is now nearly 

 superseded by soda ash, a crude carbonate of soda, extracted 

 by the decomposition of sea-salt ; and the price it now bears 

 in market, will bring it within the reach of farmers for some 

 of the economical purposes of husbandry. 



Peat Ashes. Nearly all peat approaching to purity, when 

 thrown out of its bed and thoroughly dried, will admit of 

 being burned to an imperfect ash ; and when it does not 

 reach this point, it will become thoroughly charred, and re- 

 duced to cinders. In both of these forms, it is a valuable 

 dressing for the soil. It is always better for dry uplands, to 

 use the unburned peat after it has been properly composted 

 in a muck heap ; as the organic matters which it contains, 

 and which are expelled by burning, are of great benefit to 



