NITRATE OF POTASH 83 



There are many other modifications of this 

 manufacture, some infinitely more scientific 

 in their process, and requiring greater care 

 during the different stages of the manufacture, 

 but the one now quoted appears to combine 

 great simplicity with a certain result, and one 

 moreover which is quite within the reach of 

 all agriculturists, to some extent at least, and 

 its adoption as a source of manure to their 

 farms generally, would be sure to prove a pro- 

 fitable speculation, and if this result should 

 only be attained in a few instances, where 

 these things are now neglected, the object of 

 this work will be accomplished. 



It may here be desirable to explain why 

 wood ashes are necessary for the successful 

 production of this salt. It has been stated that 

 all animal matter in its decay yields a copious 

 supply of nitrogen to the atmosphere or soil, 

 all of which would readily combine with pot- 

 ash, to form the nitrate of potash, were it pre- 

 sent; but as the supply of nitrogen, is under 

 almost all circumstances infinitely more abun- 

 dant than the potash, the wood ashes are added 

 to afford such supply and to fix the nitrogen 

 which would otherwise be evolved in a gaseous 

 state. 



This is the constant practice in the East 

 Indies; where the excess of nitrogen after 

 having combined with all the potash existing 

 in the soil, forms a new compound with lime, 

 called nitrate of lime, and to correct this, wood 

 ashes, containing carbonate of potash, are 

 added, and this effects a double decomposition. 

 The nitrogen of the lime unites with the pot- 



