Wood Ashes as Manure.

Manawatu Herald, 6 April 1899, Page 2

Wood Ashes as Manure.

In reply (o a correspondent of the Melbourne " Leader " as to the quantity of wood ashes to be used per acre, say for a crop of potatoes^, and what would be the additional' elpm^nts r*-qnirpd.to make a -complete manure in addition to wood ashes, . and its value as compared to farm* v*»rd rainnrp, Mr A. N. Pearson Victorian Government Agricultural Chemist, supplies the following information : Ordinary wood ashes USfr not act as a fertiliser so much as ft soil alternative. Their aotive constituent is mainly lime or carbonate of lime, and their action bn the soil '8 very similar to .that of lime. The annunt to be used is from £ to 1} ton ato the acre. The ashes should be sown broadcast on the ground during the rainy season, three or four weeks at least before sowing or applying other manures. They should be t>n the ground a lew days and should then be ploughed in. If the soil requires a complete fertiliser, the following mixture should afterwards be given at sowing or planting time: 2swt. per aore sulphate o( ammonia, lowt per acre ordinary superphosphate (or l-Brd cwt per acre contentrated superphosphate), l-Brd owt per acre potash sulphate. Wood ashes, from ordinary fire wood may contain from $ to 1| per cent, phosphoric acid, from 1 to 3 per cent potash and from 2) to 40 per cent, lime, as quicklime and carbonate of lime. Farmyard manure may con* fom £ to 2 3rd per cent, nitrogen, from i to £ phosphoric acid, and from 1-8 to 2-8 ppr cent, potash, besides a considerable amount of moisture and of humus forming matter.