or WOOD ASHES. 



121 



can be obtained, it is better to employ it in the fresh 

 state, so as to add its organic matter also. 



Wood ashes are very commonly used, and form a 

 manure of preat value. Below is the composition, 

 from Jo] ■ T of ash from the oak and the 



beech : y given as illustrating the 



general character oi wood ashes. 



TABLE n. 



Parocu^sof Oik. 



Potuh, 8-43 



Soda, 5 64 



Common tail, 02 



Lime, 74-63 



Sulphat« of lime, 1-98 



Ma|;ne«ia, 4 49 



Oxide of iron, ,',7 



Phosphoric aci ' 

 Silica, 



100 00 



13 83 

 2-7» 

 23 



82-37 

 a-31 



29 

 79 

 07 

 32 



100-00 



The substances composing these mhm^ are seen at a 



glanct* to Ik? of a valuable chara«t- •' to 



the soil. Kven without an anal} :i- 



hdciitly have asserted that this would be the case, 1 rum 



the latt that they hat! already been found proper for 



the support of vegetation. It will be notices! that the 



proportion of {wtash and soda is very cohaiderable, 



being in fact more in the above ashes than in roost 



others. H. ■ ' ■ 



proporlif>f) ■ 



tity of I 



pli08ph< 



oesia, were doubtless lor the i 



carbonic arid, forming carbon..; v 



uite an appreciable 



■<i very large quan- 



: nation with the 



iime and mag- 



oombined with 



1 he potash, soda 



and common salt, being soluble in water, of oouiss 



mot fiist and disappear fimt; the lime and othtr con- 



11 



