STASSFURT SALTS 193 



cool, and filter. To 50 cc. of the filtrate add about 3 

 drops of cochineal indicator, and then a standard solu- 

 tion of hydrochloric acid from a burette until the solu- 

 tion is neutral. If a standard solution of acid cannot 

 be procured, one containing 15 cc. concentrated hydro- 

 chloric acid per liter of distilled water may be used for 

 comparative purposes. Leached ashes require less than 

 2 cc. of acid to neutralize the alkaline matter in 1 gram 

 while unleached ashes require from 10 to i8cc. In pur- 

 chasing wood ashes, if a chemical analysis cannot be 

 secured, the alkalinity of the ash should be determined. 



241. Coal and Other Ashes. — Since the amount of 

 phosphoric acid and potash in coal ashes is very small, 

 they have but little fertilizer value. Soft-coal ashes con- 

 tain more potash than those from hard coal, but it is held 

 in such forms of combination as to be of but little value. 



The ashes from sawmills where soft wood is burned 

 and the ashes are unprotected, are nearly worthless. 

 When peat-bogs are burned over, large amounts of ashes 

 are produced. If the bogs are covered with timber, 

 the ashes are sometimes of sufficient value to warrant 

 their transportation and use. 



Phosphoric 

 Potash. acid. 



Percent. Percent. 



Hard coal o. 10 o. 10 



Soft coal 0.40 0.40 



Sawmill ashes 13 1.20 1.00 



Peat -bog ashes 13 1.15 0.54 



Peat-bog ashes (timbered) 13 3.68 2.56 



Tobacco stems 4.00 7.00 



Cottonseed hulls 20.00 7.00 



