126 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



7. Notes on Wool Washings as a Source of Fertilizer. 



It is a well-known fact that the skins of sheep and raw 

 wool are coated with potash compounds of a soap-like 

 nature. In many localities in Europe it is a common prac- 

 tice to turn to account for manuring grass lands the water 

 used in washing sheep before shearing, as well as the wash 

 water obtained from raw wool in factories. This is used 

 in form of an overflow. Wherever meadows adjoin the place 

 of washing wool, arrangements may be readil}'^ provided 

 for turning the wool washings directly to account. Samples 

 of raw wool tested here for potash some years ago gave the 

 following results : — 



Potassium oxide soluble in water (per cent.), . . 3.92 

 Potassium oxide soluble in diluted hydrochloric acid 



(percent.), 4.20 



Of interest in this connection are the results of examina- 

 tion of a material sent on from a factory in this State. The 

 article was labelled "concentrated potash liquor," and de- 

 scribed as obtained from the washings of wool with water 

 after the grease had been extracted by naphtha. It con- 

 sisted of a highly colored, thick, syrup-like mass, containing 

 a liberal admixture of tine fibrous vegetable matter. An 

 analysis made with reference to its approximate value as a 

 fertilizer gave the following results : — 



Per Cent. 



Moisture at 100° C, 41.13 



Dry matter, 58.87 



The dry matter left behind contained : — 



Per Cent. 



Potassium oxide, 10.15 



Phosphoric acid, 10 



Nitrogen, 1.09 



The commercial value of these ingredients per ton of the 

 original substance at the present rates amounts approximately 

 to $12.40. In charring the original material directly, 100 

 parts left behind 36.49 parts; the charred mass tested for 

 potassium oxide showed 34.91 per cent, present, or 698.2 

 pounds of potassium oxide per ton of charred residue, which 



