COMPOSITION OF WOOD ASHES 



Since the publication of our hist annual report six samples of 

 wood ashes have been received and analyzed with the following 

 results : 



During the past year there have been reported 161 analyses 

 of wood ashes by the New England experiment stations. By 

 scanning and arranging these results some knowledge of the 

 general quality of ashes used by our farmers may be obtained. 

 The various figures have been grouped within different limits, 

 in order to find out the most common composition rather than 



the average. 



The grouping of results is as follows : 



Number of samples. 



23 under 



.58 between 



38 between 



23 between 



111 over 



Per cent of potash. 



4 



4 and 5 



5 and 6 



6 and 7 



7 



Out of these 161 samples it may at once be seen that the 

 most common percentages of potash were from 4 to 5, or from 

 80 to 100 pounds of potash in one ton of ashes. A large ma- 

 jority of the samples contained between 1 and 2 per cent of 

 phosphoric acid, or from 20 to 40 pounds in one ton. These 

 figures would yield, at the station valuations, a value of between 

 $5.20 and $7.25 for the potash and phosphoric acid most com- 

 monly found in one ton of wood ashes. 



Among the above mentioned samples 31 were reported as 



