12 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



much depends. Then, again, something may be due to an in- 

 creased temperature of the surface soil, engendered by the 

 decomposition of so large an amount of organic matter within 

 it ; whilst the carbonic acid evolved in the decomposition will, 

 with the aid of moisture, serve to render the mineral resources 

 of the soil more soluble. 



Good farmyard manure is very rich in available potash and 

 phosphoric acid, which is doubtless one reason of its immense 

 value and general application to all garden vegetables, contain- 

 ing as they do so large a proportion of these elements, frequently 

 50 per cent, of potash, and from 10 to 20 per cent, of phosphoric 

 acid, in the total ash ; artificial manures, therefore, are not 

 recommended to take the place of farmyard or stable manure, 

 but to be used in conjunction with them. 



Table II. shows the percentage amounts of potash, lime, 

 magnesia, and phosphoric acid in the ashes of four varieties of 

 fruit trees and of raspberry canes. 



These constituents are given in the ashes of the wood and in 

 the ashes of the fruit separately. I might have quoted many 

 other examples, but have selected these as showing how very 

 variable is the composition of our fruit trees, and how greatly 

 the composition of the ash of the wood differs from the ash of 

 the fruit; and, further, for the purpose of showing that the 

 manures to be applied to the soil for the nourishment of these 

 trees, and to enable them to yield their fruit satisfactorily, must 

 vary accordingly. 



Table II.— Selected Constituents in the Ashes of the Wood, and in 

 the Ashes of the Fruit of Various Trees. Quantities per cent. :— 





Apple 



Pear 



Cherry 



Chestnut 



Raspberry 



Constituents in the 



Wood. 









Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Potash .... 



10-2 



4-2 



20-8 



10-1 



14-2 



Lime .... 



63G 



77-2 



28-7 



436 



38-2 



Ma^ru-sia 



75 



51 



9-2 



3-2 



10-8 



1'hosplioric acid . 



4-9 



3-8 



7-7 



1-6 



236 





Constituent* in the Fruit. 







Potash .... 



4(5-2 



547 



51-9 



39-4 



500 



Lime .... 



•4-9 



8-0 



7-5 



7-8 



194 



Magnesia 



65 



52 



5-5 



7-8 



9-6 



Phosphoric acid . 



10-9 



152 



16'0 



83 



20-5 



