340-341. I- Received from Amherst, Mass. 

 II. Received from "Westboro, Mass. 



Per cent. 

 I 



Moisture at 100" C, 



Potassium oxide, 



Phosphoric acid. 



Calcium oxide. 



Insoluble matter, 

 Several of the previously described samples of ashes are reported 

 to be the products of some special local industry, while the remainder 

 are represented as taken from car loads of imported, unleached 

 Canada wood ashes in their respective place of collection. 



An examination of our above stated analyses shows the following 

 variations with reference to the amount of potash and phosphoric 

 acid they contain : 



No. of samples. 



Potassium oxide above 8% 3 



" " from 7 to 8% 6 



" " " 6 to 7% 12 



" " " 5 to 6% 20 



" " . " 4 to 5% 5 



" " " 3 to 4% 1 



" " below 3% none. 



Phosphoric acid above 2% 1 



" " from 1 to 2% 23 



" " below 1% 23 



Wood ashes ought to be bought and sold on the basis of a guaran- 

 teed stated amount of potash and phosphoric acid, naming each 

 ingredient by itself with reference to quantity, as required by our 

 state laws for the regulation of the trade in commercial fertilizers. 

 Some dealers in wood ashes have of late adopted the practice of stat- 

 ing merely the sum of both, instead of specifying the amount of each 

 of them present. 



As phosphoric acid and potassium oxide contained in wood ashes 

 are considered in our section of the country, pound for pound of an 

 equal commercial value, from 4,5 to 5 cents, no particular 

 objection can be raised against a joint statement of both as far as 

 the mere money value of the samples is concerned, yet as this 

 mode of stating the guaranteed composition is apt to lead to miscon- 

 ception and abuse, it ought to be discouraged and discontinued. 



*Not determined. 



