ASH 



[re.] 



ASP 



ASHES are the remains of a substance 

 which has undergone burning, and are 

 as various in the proportions of their 

 components as are the bodies capable^ 

 of being burnt. Whatever ba the sub- 

 stance burnt, the process should be 

 made to proceed as slowly as possible ; 

 for, by such regulation, more carbon, 

 or charcoal, is preserved in the ashes, 

 which is the most valuable of their 

 constituents. The simplest mode of ef- 

 fecting a slow combustion is to bank 

 the burning substance over with earth, 

 leaving only a small orifice, to admit the 

 air sufficiently to keep up a smouldering 

 fire. 



Ashes have been usually recommended 

 as a manure most useful to heavy soils ; 

 but this is a decided mistake. As ferti- 

 lizers they are beneficial upon all soils ; 

 and they can never be applied in suffi- 

 cient quantity to alter the staple of a 

 too tenacious soil. To thirty square 

 yards, twenty-eight pounds are an aver- 

 age application ; and they cannot be put 

 on too fresh. 



Peat-ashes contain- 

 Silica (flint) 32 



Sulphate of lime (gypsum) . . 12 

 Sulphate and muriate of soda (Glau- 

 ber and common salt) . . 6 

 Carbonate of lime (chalk) . . 40 

 Oxide of iron .... 3 

 Loss 7 



They are an excellent application to 

 lawns, turnips, cabbages, potatoes, and 

 peas. 



Coal-ashes contain carbon, silica, alu- 

 mina, sulphate of lime, iron and potash, 

 carbonate of lime, and oxide of iron. 

 They are a good manure for grass, peas, 

 and potatoes. Sprinkled half an inch 

 deep on the surface, over beans and peas, 

 they hasten the germination of the seed, 

 and preserve it from mice. They are 

 also used for forming dry walks in the 

 kitchen-dep artrnent. 



Soap-boilers' ashes contain 



Silica 35.0 



Lime 35.0 



Magnesia 3.3 



Alumina (clay) . . . . 1.5 



Oxide of Iron . . . . 1.7 



Mangranese . . . 1.8 



Potash (combined with Silica) . 0.5 



Soda (do.) 0.2 



Sulphuric Acid (combined with 



Lime) 0.2 



Phosphoric Acid (do) . . . 3.5 



Common salt .... 0.1 

 Carbonic Acid (combined with 



Lime and Magnesia) . . 18.2 



They are good for all crops, but espe- 

 cially grass and potatoes. 



Wood-ashes and the ashes of garden- 

 weeds generally contain silica, alumina, 

 oxides of iron and manganese, Time, 

 magnesia, potash, partly in the state ot 

 a silicate, soda, sulphates of potash and 

 lime, phosphate of lime, chloride of 

 sodium (common salt), and carbonates 

 of lime, potash, and magnesia, with a 

 considerable portion of charcoal. They 

 are a good application to cabbages, pota- 

 toes, and peas. 



Turf -as lies contain silica, alumina, ox- 

 ides of iron and manganese, lime, mag- 

 nesia, sulphates of potash and lime, 

 phosphates of lime and magnesia, com- 

 mon salt, and charcoal. They have been 

 used beneficially to grass, onions, carrots, 

 beans, potatoes, and beet-root. 



ASH-TREE. Fra'ximis exce'lsior. 



ASIATIC-POISON BULB. Cri'num Asia'- 

 ticum. 



ASI'MINA. (A Canadian name, not ex- 

 plained. Nat. ord., Anonads [Anona- 

 eeaBJ. Linn., I3-Polyandria Q-Polyyynia.) 



A. tri'loba is a fit companion to such plants as 

 Da'phnes, Illl'ciums, and Di'rca palu'stris in 

 British gardens. Sometimes by seed, but chiefly 

 by layering the branches, towards the end of 

 summer. Peat and loam. 



A. grandiflo'ra ('large-flowered). 3. White. June. 

 Georgia. 1820. 



parviflo'ra (small-flowered). 3. Brown. May. 



N. Amer. 1806. 



pygmce'a (pigmy). 2. White. N. Amer. 1812. 



tri'loba (three-lobed- flowered) . 8. Pale purple. 



August. China. 1822. 



ASPA'LATHUS. (From a, not, and spuo, 

 to extract; in reference to the difficulty 

 of extracting its thorns from a wound. 

 Nat. ord., Leguminous Plants [Fabacese]. 

 Linn., \.Q-Monadclphla Q-Decandria.) 



With one exception, all greenhouse evergreen 

 shrubs. Cuttings of half-ripened wood, in April, 

 in sand ; placed over sandy peat, well drained, 

 kept shaded, and little water given, as they are 

 apt to damp off. Loam and lumpy peat. Temp., 

 summer, 55 to 65 ; winter, 40 to 45. 

 A. affi'nis (kindred). 3. Yellow. July: Cap* 

 of Good Hope. 1822. 



a'lbens (white). 4. White. July. Cape of 



Good Hope. 1774. 



araneo'sa (cobwebbed). 3. Yellow. July. 



Cape of Good Hope. 17Q5. 



arge'nteu (silvery-/eaoed). 2. Yellow. July. 



Cape of Good Hope. 1759. 



asparagoi'des (asparagus-like). 3. Yellow. 



July. Cape of Good Hope. 1812. 



astroi'tes (starry). 2. Yellow. July. Cape 



of Good Hope. 1818. 



callo'sa (hardened). 3. Yellow. July. Cape 



of Good Hope. 1812. 



ca'ndicans (whitish). '2. Pale yellow. July. 



Cape of Good Hope. 1774. 



