152 ESSAY ON TOP DRESSINGS 



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

 serviceable, as the salt iii the atmosph<n-e the more readily com- 

 bines with them. Every practi.-al man has heard of the ama- 

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

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

 may rely upoi] the statement of Prof. Liebig, leached ashes al- 

 so 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 application 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, con- 

 servative 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 ex- 

 haust 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 t!ie 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 nsed in leaching a bushel of ashes. This, 

 of course, adds much to the value of leached ashes for grasses. 

 They contain, also, a portion of the alkali which is decomposed 

 by the action of the atmosphere, and the water in the soil pre- 

 pares it for the food of plants. 



As we have already spoken of the use of mud, it is proper 

 here to say that ashes may be mixed with mud in the propor- 

 tion of six or eight bushels to the cord. The mud is better, 

 as usual, dug in the autumn, though the mixture might be 

 made in the spring, or on application to the soil . If leached 



