FARMERS' REGISTER— DUTCH ASHES AS MANURE. 



G79 



man wool naturally excited the emulation of the 

 States lying contiguous to Saxony ; and the fiock 

 masters of that kingdom carried on, for a consid- 

 eralde period, a very prosperous trade in rams 

 and ewes with the land-owners of Silesia, Bohemia, 

 Austria, and other parts, who were desirous of 

 changing the nature of their flocks to this more 

 profitaiile breed. All the superabundance of grain, 

 which had no external vent to carry it off, was 

 given to t!ic sheep, in order to accelerate their ap- 

 proach to the maximum degree of fineness of which 

 their wool was susceptible ; thus actually creating 

 a profitable consumption for their corn, through 

 the eagerness exhibited in England to obtain a su- 

 perior quality of wool. 



ON THE USE OF DUTCH ASHES AS MAIVURE. 



By Mr. John Mitchell, Jr. Leith. 



Fiom the Prize Essays and Ti-ansactions of the Highland Socie- 

 ty of Scotland for the y-oar 1SH3. 



In a short communication sent to the society 

 some time ago, I endeavored to bring under their 

 notice a very valual>le and cheap species of ma- 

 nure, which, on a late tour made by me on the 

 continent, I observed was much prized, particu- 

 larly in Flanders. I then placed at the disposal 

 of the society twenty casks (about seven tons) 

 of the substance in question, which have been de- 

 livered free of any charge to several noblemen 

 and gentlemen, eminent agriculturisis, who will 

 have an opportunity of trying their eificiency. 



When in Flanders, I found the farmers gene- 

 rally complaining of the serious injury they were 

 likely to sustain in consequence of being almost 

 entirely deprived, from interruption of the com- 

 munication with Holland, of an article which tiiey 

 considered essentially necessary to their domestic 

 economy, namely, Dutch ashes ; and as that arti- 

 cle can be imported at a very moderate price, it is 

 of importance to consider how far it may be pro- 

 per to introduce it into this country. 



In Holland, there are two kinds of turf or peats 

 used for burning, namely, those cut as in this 

 country from the bogs, which burn easily, but 

 give a whitish kind oT asiies, which are of little 

 use; and another kind, more generally used, as 

 being more durable. Having witnessed the mode 

 of making this kind, I shall Iiere describe it. At 

 those ditches or ponds made by cutting away the 

 common peats, or upper parts of the bogs, men 

 were employed in dragging from the I>ottom, by 

 means of long sticks, having hooped bags at the 

 end, the soft portion of the peat under water. 

 They poured it out on the adjacent ground, when 

 the water was allowed to drain off. After expo- 

 sure to the air, this substance becomes in a few 

 days sufficiently consistent to be cut info pieces 

 of the size of a common building brick, which are 

 dried tor the use. The ashes from this kind of 

 peat are of a yellowish brown color, and are the 

 kind so much prized in Flanders : carts go regu- 

 larly round to the various houses, Avhere this turf 

 is used, and carefully collect all tliat can be ob- 

 tained. When the communication was open with 

 Belgium, the ashes were sent by water to Brus- 

 sels and other places in that country, and, after a 

 long water carriage, they were often conveyed 

 fifty, and even a hundred miles farther by land. 



These ashes are used in various ways in Flan- 

 ders. They are generally sown upon clover, at 



the rate of twenty five cuvelles per hectare, equal 

 to about nineteen Inishels per acre, imperial mea- 

 sure. Thej' are sown on clover, w heat, and pas- 

 tures, in March and April ; on oats and beans in 

 the beginning of May ; on rye in October and No- 

 vember. They are also used in gardens with 

 great benefit to the crops, by being scattered over 

 the surfiice, after the land is sown and raked. 

 They are also good for hops, a handful being giv- 

 en to each plant. When applied to grain, they 

 promote its early growth ; but are principally use- 

 ful in increasing the quantity. They are general- 

 ly sown by the hand like grain, but care must be 

 taken to leave no part of the surface without its 

 just proportion. 



In Holland the mode of applying them is as fol- 

 lows. In March, the wheat is v.orked with the 

 hoe between the rows, and sown with clover; and 

 in May, the rows of wlieat are weeded. The wheat 

 being reaped, and as soon as the danger of floods 

 is past in the spring, the land is harrowed, and 

 thereafier they strew about twenty imperial bush- 

 els on the acre of clover. This practice is great- 

 ly recommended, and found to be highly advanta- 

 geous. 



An eminent Dutch agricicullurist, F. L. W. 

 Brakkel, in a work lately puldished by him at 

 Utrecht, points out the advantages of using Dutch 

 ashes on the clover in this way, his alternation of 

 crops being potatoes, rape seed, peas, wheat, clo- 

 ver and oats. Another Avriter on agriculture, J. 

 R. Schwarz, says the ashes must be used in their 

 dry state, and thinly strewed, and on plouglied 

 land must be harrowed in before or at the sowino-. 

 They are of most use on cold wet grass lands 

 to dry the ground, destroy the acidity, and kill the 

 mosses. They are so much persuaded in Belgium 

 of the great use of Dutch ashes, tiiat the farmers 

 have the following proverb : " He who buys ashes 

 for clover, pays nothing ; but he who neglects do- 

 ing so, pays a double price." The great advanta- 

 ges to be derived from thispractice are also point- 

 ed out by Sir John Sinclair, in his Tour in Flan- 

 ders, and many other testimonies might be ad- 

 duced in its favor. 



By an analysis made by Professor Brande of the 

 Royal Institution, the contents of the specimen 

 given him were : 



Siliceous earth, - - - 32 



Sulj/nate of lime - - - 12 



Sul])hate and muriate of soda, - 6 



Carbonate of lime, - - - 4Q 



Oxide of iron, - - - 3 



Impurities and loss, - _ 7 



100 

 The great advantages which the Dutch ashes 

 hold out to the flirmer are, their being a cheaper, 

 and (at least for some purposes,) more certain 

 and beneficial manure, than any now in use. They 

 can be easily transported to a great distance; they 

 give a greater number of bushels to the ton than 

 bones or rape cake, and they are only about half 

 the price per ton of either. It has also to be re- 

 marked, that bones are getting scarce abroad, and 

 are rising in price. Besides, the Dutch ashes re- 

 quire no previous expense or preparation in this 

 country, but can be immediately applied after being 

 landed ; whereas, bones and rape cake have to un- 

 dergo the process of grinding, before they are fit 

 for use. 



