218 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



can get about nine cents a pound for it, and then use the ashes 

 afterwards. Don't you see that would be absurd ? I can't tell 

 you the exact value of unleaclied ashes. I have never tried an 

 experiment of that kind, and I never should, because I cannot 

 see any necessary connection between the results I might obtain 

 and anything practical to be deduced from them. I should ad- 

 vise, in a general way, the purchase of leached ashes at about 

 ten cents a bushel. I cannot get at it in any other way. Tliey 

 either have or have not value, and if they have value, it is a 

 fixed value ; when we get out of that, we are in the dark. 

 Here are these certain elements, which are essential to the 

 growth of the plant ; they all have a commercial value, and if 

 they are in an assimilable condition, they are worth more than 

 in an unassimilable condition. I take those two things into 

 consideration, and that is the only way I can form any opinion. 

 I cannot guess how much benefit I can get from a bushel of 

 leached ashes. I infer, if all the potash is removed from them, 

 as the soap-boilers are very apt to remove it, the value is one- 

 third that of unleaclied ashes. I do not know but I am over- 

 estimating it in that way ; I don't know as it is as high as that. 

 I do not know how I can present this point in any clearer way ; 

 I wish I could. It is very difficult to state definitely what will 

 result from a combination of fertilizers, and it is utterly impos- 

 sible for me to state what will be the result if I do not know 

 what the fertilizers are made of. 



I am afraid we do not carry these experiments far enough to 

 be able to arrive at fixed results. I have endeavored to do so. 

 I think we cannot reach solid ground until we carry things far 

 enough and observe closely enough. In the first place, we 

 must know what we have got in our hands to work with. I 

 might make an analysis of leached ashes, and in the course of 

 years, using them constantly, I should be able to form a pretty 

 good judgment of the results, but I cannot state them off hand. 



The CuAiRMAN. I would not have the doctor understand me 

 as intimating that one is as valuable as the other ; but the eft'ect 

 of leached ashes was shown so long, that they were believed to 

 be a valuable manure. 



Dr. Nichols. I think as much harm as good is sometimes 

 done in meeting a prejudice for or against a thing. I hesitate 

 to speak of some matters because I am afraid a wrong impres- 



