222 FIELD, FOREST AND FARM 



"The subject of ashes leads us naturally to that of 

 soot, a substance composed of vegetable matter in- 

 completely decomposed by heat and containing am- 

 monia, which renders it highly efficacious as a fer- 

 tilizer. It is applied to young plants, giving them 

 an increased vigor of growth. By its acrid quality, 

 moreover, it is excellent as a protection against in- 

 sects that attack vegetation." 



