HOW TO PROCURE TREES. 31 



or economical application. As a general rule, 

 when the plants are young and growth of 

 wood is desired, it is found that the large per- 

 centage of nitrogen which is supplied from ani- 

 mal excreta is advantageous. But the percent- 

 age of potash and phosphates is altogether too 

 small when the plants come into fruit, while the 

 nitrogen is in excess. Hence it is cheaper and 

 much better to supply the potash and phosphate 

 in some other form than from the stable. 



Wood ashes, if they can be obtained at about 

 thirty cents per bushel, and if of really good 

 quality, are the cheapest and the easiest form 

 to apply potash.. But the supply of unleached 

 hard-wood ashes is limited, and an article of 

 good quality is difficult to be found. Crude 

 potash of commerce is reliable and can easily 

 be obtained, but the difficulty here is in its ap- 

 plication. It is almost as hard as stone and the 

 process of breaking and dissolving in boiling 

 water is troublesome. The liquid is exceed- 

 ingly caustic and may be utilized in turn in dis- 

 solving crushed bones at the rate of four to five 

 pounds to a pound of potash. A good deal of 

 heat is evolved and ammonia will escape unless 

 absorbed by covering with dry peat, or loam. 

 In this way the potash and phosphate become 

 available without paying for the absorbents by 



