VALUE OF MANURES 97 



The Question of the Money Value of Wood Ashes. The chem- 

 ical composition of ashes varies considerably, according to the 

 plants, or parts of plants, from which it has been derived; the 

 smaller the wood, or the more of weeds or other herbaceous ma- 

 terial there was in it, the more valuable the ash ; but taking a broad 

 average, a bushel (say forty-eight pounds) of wood ashes would, 

 according to the ordinary valuation of the ingredients, be worth 

 about twenty-five cents counting on an average of five per cent 

 of potash and two per cent of phosphoric acid. Potash is generally 

 in good supply in our soils as yet, unless the land has been heavily 

 cropped with root crops, so the chief value would be in the phos- 

 phoric acid, which we need badly, and the ash for that substance 

 would be worth about six cents per bushel ; ten cents may be taken 

 as the minimum aggregate value per bushel for this state unless, as 

 stated, the planter needs the potash. In general, ashes should be 

 spread broadcast over the surface of the ground and allowed to be 

 washed in by rains or irrigation, and not placed too near the plant. 

 If plowed in shallow with stubble or weeds, the latter decompose 

 very quickly, and the effect of both is thus improved and quickened. 

 The greatest benefit may be expected upon sandy and porous soils. 

 On these "light soils" crops of every kind, but especially root crops 

 and corn, will be benefited by a dressing of wood ashes. Thirty 

 to fifty bushels to the acre of fresh ashes will be a full dressing, 

 and three or four times that amount of leached ashes may be ap- 

 plied with permanent benefit. 



Bone Manures. To make bones readily available they may be 

 treated with sulphuric acid and rendered into superphosphate, which 

 is soluble. But sulphuric acid is a very dangerous agent to handle, 

 and can hardly be commended for farm or garden use. Burning 

 bones destroys their nitrogen and renders the phosphate even 

 more insoluble. The best home treatment for bones is to crush 

 them if it can be handily done, and then put them through the fer- 

 mentation of the compost heap. The bones which do not break 

 down under this treatment can best be buried deeply in the orchard 

 to await the slow disintegration by the tree roots. 



Commercial Fertilisers. A discussion of the value and avail- 

 ability of commercial fertilizers is beyond the reach of this treatise. 

 The vegetable grower should possess himself of a good recent 

 book on the subject. In connection with the different vegetables 

 there will be mention of applications which have been serviceable. 



