POTASH IN AGRICULTURE. 127 



know that he had done the best thing, but he could recommend 

 the preparation for almost an}' crop. He had used it in connection 

 with hen manure on corn and other crops with excellent results. 

 He had sometimes been cheated in buying wood ashes. In hand- 

 ling the potash care mast be taken not to get it on the clothes or 

 person. Muriate of potash will have no effect in reducing bones. 



William C. Strong said all are agreed that potash and phosphates 

 are useful fertilizers, but we want to knovv the best form. He in- 

 quired of the President whether he had used bone-black or fine 

 ground bone undissolved. 



President Moore said that he used bone-black pretty largel}' one 

 3'ear, and had also used bone in all other forms. In choosing he 

 is governed largely by the price, and watches to see where he can 

 get it cheapest. He can afford to appl}- it pretty freely, as it does 

 not waste, but will come into use at some time. If steamed and 

 ground fine it will last three or four years. Potash does not waste 

 in a sandy soil, but combines with it. The best form of potash is 

 wood ashes, if the}' can be got cheap and pure, such as Canada 

 ashes with five or six pounds of potash to the bushel ; but it is not 

 eas}' to get them pure. Wood ashes contain phosphates as well as 

 potash, and this is why ashes are preferable to muriate of potash, 

 and why leached ashes are sometimes nearl}' as good as unleached. 

 He reduces bone b}' spreading three or four bushels of ashes, and 

 then wetting the bone and putting it on the pile, using three pounds 

 of ashes to one of bone. It will heat and give off ammonia, and will 

 need turning over and covering with loam, peat, or plaster. It 

 should have a prett}' thick covering, in giving which you extend 

 the fertilizer ; but this you can afford to do when you can't afford 

 to buy it extended. In Mr. Hunt's plan the potash is more caustic, 

 and there is more danger of wasting the ammonia. Many people 

 are deceived in buying muriate of potash, a high grade of which 

 contains eighty-three per cent of muriate of potash, which is equal 

 to fifty-five per cent of pure potash. 



Bone-l)lack is bone burnt as you would burn coffee, and is used 

 b}' sugar refiners for filtering sugar ; after it has been used it is 

 burnt over to get rid of the impurities, and the fine part is screened 

 out and sold as bone-black. It is bought by manufacturers of 

 fertilizers to dry off their mixtures, being in the form of a fine, dry 

 powder well adapted for that purpose. There is more phosphate 

 in bone-black than in any other bone, but the ammonia is all burnt 

 out of it. There is less ammonia in steamed bone than in fresh, 



