ESSEX SOCIETY. 83 



every one hundred and ten pounds of leached ashes of the 

 common beach tree, spread upon the soil, we furnish as much 

 phosphates as five hundred and seven pounds of the richest ma- 

 nures could yield. Now phosphates are highly useful to all 

 kinds of soil. 



There can be no doubt that the process of leaching takes 

 from the ashes a part of their fertilizing properties. For many 

 uses, this is no objection. Especially is this the case near the 

 sea, where leached ashes are thought, by some, to be even more 

 serviceable, as the salt in the atmosphere the more readily com- 

 bines with them. Every practical man has heard of the amaz- 

 ing effects which bone dust has upon the soil. Yet this is 

 valuable chiefly for the phosphates it contains. But if we may 

 rely upon the statement of Prof. Liebig, leached ashes also 

 contain a large amount of phosphate of lime, which would 

 show them to be extremely valuable. But suppose we allow 

 four bushels of leached ashes to one bushel of crushed bones, 

 the expense of the ashes would, in most cases, be less than the 

 bones. But if bones can be procured, a mixture of leached 

 ashes and bones, four bushels to one, forms the most useful ap- 

 plication that can be made. The compound should remain a 

 week or two before being used. Those who have tried leached 

 ashes, have been fully satisfied of their superior qualities as a 

 fertilizer. Careful experiments, by careful, conservative men, 

 show that land producing one ton to the acre, has been so 

 improved by this means, as to yield three tons to the acre. 

 Where thirty bushels were used on three-fourths of an acre, 

 the crop was increased more than three fold. Nor are leached 

 ashes subject to the objections which are raised by some 

 against the use of lime. They do not apparently exhaust the 

 soil. The effect of them is felt for several years. Many 

 farmers have found by experience, that one bushel of unleached 

 hard wood ashes is nearly equal to two bushels of plaster, as a 

 top dressing for the dryer grass lands. If this be true, what 

 has been said would show that leached ashes are about equal 

 to plaster in their effects on such lands. A peck of lime is 

 commonly used in leaching a bushel of ashes. This, of course, 

 adds much to the value of leached ashes for grasses. They 



