Wood.] 4 [Jan. 6, 
with water, and obtained by evaporating the ley. A muchsmaller portion 
is in the form of silicate, whichis left behind in the ashes after lixiviation, 
and gives to the soap-boilers’ ashes almost all if not quite all their value 
asamanure. It is, however, only the fresh-burned ashes, not yet sub- 
initted to lixiviation, and consequently still containing the potash in its 
soluble state, that is applicable to the purpose of supplying the alkali to 
fruit trees in the mode in which I employ it. 
When plants are no longer supplied with the requisite amount. of pot- 
ash, they cease to grow, and at length generally perish. In the case of 
the succulent fruit trees, as the alkali is required in the largest propor- 
tion in the fruit, this is the first to suffer; then the leaves gradually fail; | 
and at length the whole tree dies, limb after limb. 
How I came to discover this source of premature failure of fruit trees, 
and to supply the deficiency by means of the soluble potash contained in 
fresh ashes, J explained, so far as the peach tree is concerned, in a com- 
munication made last year to the Scciety, which was published in the 
Proceedings. 
In that communication I stated that, believing with most others 
that the peach tree perishes prematurely, in consequence of being at- 
tacked near the root by a species of worm, I employed as a remedy 
against this parasite, after scraping as far as possible the worm out of the 
root with a knife, fresh ashes in an excavation about the stem of the 
plant; supposing that, by their caustic power, they might destroy any re- 
mains of the insect or its eggs. This method was not original with my- 
I self; as I had seen it practiced in my youth very effectually in keeping a | 
peach orchard in bearing for several years. 
The peach trees on which I tried the experiment had long ceased to bear 
fruit, and were in the last stage of decay ; in several instances one or 
more branches being absolutely dead, and the stem being covered with 
lichens, as is apt to happen with dying trees. 
| This was done in the Autumn; the earth having been removed around 
i the stem of each tree to the depth of four or five inches, so as to lay bare 
the upper surface of the main roots, and the excavation filled with fresh | 
| ashes. Next Spring a marvellous change was experienced by the trees. \ 
| They had recovered more than the vigor of their early life, and bore fruit 
in an abundance which I had rarely, if ever, witnessed. 
I could not conceive that such a result should proceed so rapidly, from 
the destruction of a few worms. Besides, some of the trees had no worms 
| that could be observed; and yet they had been as far gone, and were as 
much revived as the others. 
I was, therefore, driven to the conclusion, that the ashes had not acted 
by destroying the worm, but by furnishing to the trees a material neces- 
| sary to their existence, and from the want of which they were perishing. 
This could only be the soluble potash contained in the ashes, which being 
dissolved by the rain, was carried in solution along the roots to the mi- 
nute rootlets where it was needed. 
One important inference, which may be here incidentally mentioned, is 
