30 



THE AORICULTUBAL JOURNAL. 



shape of small twigs, leaves, and a large bulk 

 of soil, which has the eifect of consider- 

 ably diminishing the fertilizing constitu- 

 ents and rendering comparison unreliable. 

 They are however of interest in them- 

 selves as a guide to what such material is 

 really worth. The proportions of the 

 ingredients are somewhat similar to that 

 of farmyard manure, though a little lower, 

 nitrogen being about half of that contained 

 in the latter. They resemble it in being 

 all-round fertilizers, but do not possess the 

 superior qualities of farmyard manure in 

 its adaptability for supplying organic 

 matter and improving the mechanical 

 condition of the soil, and further, their 

 collection, if very much distributed, is 

 sure to increase the amount of sand and 

 soil in their bulk, so that it is doubtful if 

 they are of value beyond local distribu- 

 tion. 



The better plan would appear to be an 

 accumulation of the branches, leaves, and 

 refuse before burning, so that the ash 

 resulting would form larger heaps, and 

 consequently be much more easily handled, 

 besides being more concentrated. It 

 would then form a most valuable fertilizer 

 well worth handling and spreading. 



These samples Nos. II. and III. are not 

 wood ashes in the true sense, but rather, 

 are ashes largely at^mixed with soil and 

 refuse. True ashes, especially when 

 freshly burned, possess a much higher 

 value, due mainly, but not altogether, to 

 the potash they contain. They are 

 alkaline in nature, and exert a beneficial 

 action on moist soils in sweetening and 

 rectifying any acidity. With the 

 exception of nitrogen, in which they are 

 deficient or wholly wanting, they may be 

 said to be all-round fertilizers, although 

 not well balanced ones. They form a 

 good basis for a complete manure, with 

 potash as their dominart ingredient. 

 They may be reinforced with phosphoric 

 acid and nitrogen from another source to 

 make up a fertilizer suitable to require- 

 ments, but care must l)e taken ir. mixing 

 with artificials containing nitrogen— the 

 same precautions which have to be used as 

 in the case of lime or basic slag. 



If we take the above sample No. I. and 

 apply the unit value in use in the Colony 

 for the sake of comi)arison, its value per 

 ton of 2,000 lbs. would run about as 

 folIowB : — 



£ s. d. 



Potash, 4-994 @ 5s. 4d. ... 1 6 8 



Phoshoric Acid, l-b32 @ 5s. 4d. 7 2 



Lime, 4-187 @ lOd 3 6 



Per ton £1 17 4 



These figures are assumed for the sake of 

 comparing different artificial manures, 

 and represent as nearly as possible the 

 relative values of the different ingredients. 

 Probably, however, in wood ash the 

 value set down should be rather higher. 

 The potash, compared with that of kainit, 

 muriate, or sulphate of potash, is quite as 

 valuable, and the organic source of the 

 ingredients has the effect of making them 

 in an extremely suitable state for plant 

 food material. 



The sample No. I. is rich in potash, 

 and contains a fair amount of phosphoric 

 aciJ, but is remarkably low in lime. 

 Most wood ashes have a very much higher 

 percentage of lime than this sample con- 

 tained ; it is a valuable fertilizer and well 

 worth the attention of those within 

 whose reach it comes. 



Freshly burnt ash is of far more value 

 than that which has been exposed to rain 

 for any length of time. If it is incon- 

 venient to use it when newly prepared, 

 the best plan is either to work it into the 

 compost heap or place it under cover so 

 that it may be kept dry by being secure 

 from rain and moisture. 



The sample of soil (No. 4) contained 

 0-066 per cent, of phosphoric acid, 0-301 

 of potash, 0-042 of lime, and 0-168 of 

 nitrogen ; it is rich in potash, fair in 

 phosphoric acid and nitrogen, but like 

 most Natal soils very deficient in lime. 



Regarding the I^ntomologist's remark 

 that the opinion is held by some farmers 

 that wattle leaf mould is injurious to 

 vegetation, the investigations I have 

 made induce me to believe that such is a 

 fact on account of the tannin (tannic 

 acid) which it contains. This, acting as a 

 preservative and preventing the decay or 

 decomposition of the organic matter in 

 the soil, to a certain extent cuts off the 

 natural supply of nitrogen necessary for 

 plant growth. 



Alex. Pardy, F.C.S., &c., 

 Analyst to Agricultural Department. 



7th March, 1901. 



