Ashes of Heather, Furze, and Bracken 



found in them, and such as existed in the plants 

 from which the peat was formed have disappeared 

 in the subsoil. These ashes are used on pastures, 

 but chiefly on clover and lucerne. Their beneficial 

 action can be attributed partly to the sulphate of 

 lime. Their composition is variable ; the content 

 of sulphate ranging from 15 to 40 per cent., while 

 they contain nearly 40 per cent, carbonate of lime. 

 They can be used freely — from 20 to 100 cwt. per 

 acre. To obtain the ash in large quantities, as soon 

 as the peat is dry, it is put into stacks and burned 

 very slowly, when about i ton of peat will produce 

 I cwt. of ash. In Holland they are used in large 

 quantities. 



Coal Ashes. 



These are chiefly used as an improving agent 

 for heavy clayey ground, which they make more 

 workable, and for low-lying grounds, which they 

 make more permeable. They evidently only operate 

 by the elements which they contain. Coal ashes 

 are much poorer than anthracite ashes, and these 

 only contain 16 per cent, of lime ; but they also 

 contain 10 per cent, sulphuric acid, and that is 

 where their use comes in. They contain also 1-5 

 per cent, of magnesia, 0-5 per cent, phosphoric acid, 

 and 0-6 per cent, potash. Sifted and mixed with 

 garden soil they make it earlier because of their 

 black colour. 



Ashes of Heather, Furze, and Bracken. 



Heather, furze, and bracken yield an ash fairly 

 rich in potash, heather being the poorest with about 



85 



