To meet frequent inquiries regarding the amount of moisture and the 

 amount of foreign mineral matter which genuine Canada unleached 

 wood ashes ought to contain, a series of observations have b*'en of late 

 instituted at our laboratory to furnish facts for general informaticn. 

 The results obtained in this connection are as follows : 



No. of samples. 



Mineral matter insoluble in dilu- \ ^f) f^ \^c/ 9C 



ted hydrochloric acid from -^ ic^ on^/ n 



•^ j 15 to 20% 11 



[20 to 30% 2 



The variations noticeable in the composition of wood ashes are not 

 surprising when considering the crude mode of collecting and hand- 

 ling them for commercial purposes. The particular effects of both 

 varying quantities of foreign insoluble matter as soil, coal ashes, etc., 

 and of moisture, on the composition of a given sample of genuine 

 wood ashes, as far as its percentage of potash and of phosphoric acid 

 is concerned, depend largely on the particular kind of wood which has 

 served for the production of the ash. The color of the wood ashes in 

 case of dark varieties depends usually on an admixture of more or less 

 charcoal ; while an exceptionally light color is not unfrequently due 

 to the kind of wood which furnished it. Some kinds of wood, as elm- 

 wood, produce a white ash of excellent quality, judging from sam- 

 ples sent on for examination. 



As the dealer is only obliged to guarantee the amount of potash 

 and of phosphoric acid present in a given quantity of wood ashes, 

 no serious objection can be raised on the part of the buyer, on 

 account of moisture, etc., as long as the article contains the specified 

 amount of both potash and phosphoric acid. 



Wood ashes ought to be bought and sold by weight and not by meas- 

 we^for both moisture and foreign matters are apt to affect seriously 

 the tveight of a given meastire. 



