30 



Wood Ashes. 



Wood ashes are valued chiefly for their content of potash, phosphoric acid and lime. 

 The average composition of the product is showTi below. As the content of lime 

 was not a part of the guarantee in the samples analyzed this season, no tests were made 

 for this element, but this usually runs about 31 per cent. After allowing for the value 

 of the phosphoric acid and lime, the cost of potash from this source was 33.3 cents a 

 pound, or $6.66 per unit, as compared with SI. 12 per unit for potash from high-grade 

 sulfate. It is true that potash in ashes is present largely as carbonate, but assuming 

 that in some instances there is justification for paying a premium for potash in this 

 form for use in agriculture, attention may be called to the fact that high-grade car- 

 bonate of potash, guaranteed 65.43 per cent K2O, is at present quoted in the Oil, 

 Paint and Drug Reporter at $135.00 per ton. At this rate, the actual potash costs 

 about 12.4 cents a pound, or $2.48 per unit, after allowing 20 per cent increase in cost 

 for freight and overhead. 



Note. — Variation in percentage composition in the twelve analyses made: moisture, 8.93 to 23.59; phos- 

 phoric acid, 1.25 to 2.27; water soluble potash, 2.41 to 6.79; total potash, 3.55 to 8.51, with an average of 6.69 for 

 those sold on unit basis and 4.06 when sold on the ton basis. Attention is called in the table to the much higher 

 content of plant food in ashes sold on the unit basis. This indicates that the poorer quality of ashes was reserved 

 for sales made on the ton basis. The product should always be bought subject to analysis. 



Pulverized Animal Manures. 



Brands Substantially Meeting their Guarantees. 



' Two analyses made. 



