POTASH.
Do all soils contain a sufficient amount of potash?
How may its deficiency have been caused?
How may its absence be detected?
Does barn-yard manure contain sufficient potash to supply its deficiency in worn-out soils?
Potash is often deficient in the soil. Its deficiency may have been caused in two ways. Either it may not have existed largely in the rock from which the soil was formed, and consequently is equally absent from the soil itself, or it may have once been present in sufficient quantities, and been carried away in crops, without being returned to the soil in the form of manure until too little remains for the requirements of fertility.
In either case, its absence may be accurately detected by a skilful chemist, and it may be supplied by the farmer in various ways. Potash, as well as all of the other mineral manures, is contained in the excrements of animals, but not (as is also the case with the others) in sufficient quantities to restore the proper balance to soils where it is largely deficient, nor even to make up for what is yearly removed with each crop, except that crop (or its equivalent) has been fed to such animals as return all of the fertilizing constituents of their food in the form of manure, and this be all carefully preserved and applied to the soil. In all other cases, it is necessary to apply more potash than is contained in the excrements of animals.
What is generally the most available source from which to obtain this alkali?
Will leached ashes answer the same purpose?
How may ashes be used?