120 



ACTION OF SALTS. 



It is evident from these tables that the common opinion 

 of the inferiority of pine ashes is unfounded. Though pine 

 yields less weight of ash than hard wood, in proportion of 

 .83 to 2.87, yet, in equal weights, pine ash affords four times 

 more alkali than the ash of hard wood. 



50 lbs. hard ash yields 6.75 lbs. soluble, of which 4.60 

 lbs. are alkalies. 



50 lbs. soft ash yields 25 lbs. soluble, of which 17.42 lbs. 

 are alkalies. 



Wheat straw — 100 parts yield 4.40 lbs. of ashes; 100 

 parts of which afford, of soluble, 19; of insoluble, 81. 



100 parts of the soluble contain : 



Sulphuric acid, 0.2 



Muriatic acid, 13. 



Silex, 85.6 



Potash and soda, 50. 



100 parts of the insoluble contain : 



Phosphoric acid, 1.20 



Silex, 75. 



Oxide of iron, 2.50 



Lime, 5.80 



Charcoal, 15.50 



The above tables of wood and straw ashes are calculated 

 on the analyses of Berthier. The elements are stated singly, 

 because we have thus, at one view, the amount of each, and 



