80 PRACTICAL FARM CHEMISTRY. 



tion of the goods will give some idea of their quality, 

 and particularly show very plainly whether the 

 ashes are leached or not, wet or dry, etc. This with 

 a knowledge of the surrounding circumstances (gen- 

 erally they are known or can be easily inquired 

 into), and especially of the source of the ashes, will 

 be all the evidence needed in the case. But if I 

 could buy a lot of unleached hard- wood ashes, of 

 average quality, at ten cents per bushel, or even' 

 at fifteen cents, I would not hesitate to buy all I 

 could draw, even if I had to go four or five miles 

 after them. 



Canada ashes are largely advertised by various 

 parties. Sometimes they do not come up to the mark. 

 More generally they analyze about five and half 

 pounds of potash, and two pounds of phosphoric 

 acid (more or less of each — oftener less than more) 

 hence their value may be estimated as follows: 



5i pounds potash @ 5| cents, - - 30 cents. 



2 " phosphoric acid @ 8 cents, - 16 cents. 



Total, per 100 pounds, • - 46 cents, 



or $9.70 per ton. We can afford to pay about 

 twelve dollars, perhaps thirteen or fourteen 



dollars per ton. This is their value for the 

 ^Ashet iiianure-buying farmer. The gardener 



and fruit grower may sometimes, for 

 special purposes, go even beyond the largest figures 

 named. There is only one precaution which I have 

 to add. Wood ashes, under average conditions, 

 should not be mixed with other manures, especially 

 not with poultry manure. The worst possible 

 use that could be made of them is to scatter them 

 under the roosts in the poultry- house. A mix- 

 ture of the two substances without the free use 

 of soil or other absorbents, can only serve to reduce 



