tirely due to the potash. The small amount of phosphoric acid which they contain is not with- out fertilizing value, and the lime, which is present to tlie extent of 600 to 700 pounds per ton (of 'iOOO pounds), is of great value in im- proving the texture and in correcting the acidity of soils, besides supplying an element which is deficient in many soils.
Ashes which have been subjected to leaching show a reduced percentage of potash and an in- creased percentage of moisture. The average composition of such ashes, as shown by a large numlier of analyses, is as follows: Moisture, 3(t per cent.; potash, 1.3 per cent.; phosphoric acid, 1.5 per cent.; lime, 28 per cent. The fer- tilizing action of leaclied aslies is due very large- ly to their favorable physical efl'ects on the soil, which are brought about mainly by the lime present.
Cotton-Hull Ashes. Cotton-hull ashes are much richer in fertilizing constituents than wood ashes and are highly esteemed. es|)ecially in New England, as a fertilizer for tol>acco. They eon- tain on an average aboit 2.'^ per cent, of potash, y per cent, of jihosphoric acid, and S.8 per cent, of lime, althougli their quality varies greatly. The great demand for these ashes by tobacco growers, with the limited supply, has caused the price of the potash they contain to rise much iiigher than that of potash in other standard fertilizing materials. The high percentage of phosphoric acid which these ashes contain, how- ever, makes them a valuable source of this fer- tilizing constituent. The percentage of lime is too small to e.xert any marked intluence on the fertilizing etTect. The potash has been found to vary from 10 to 42 j)er cent., the phosphoric acid from .'i to 13 per cent. This great variability nuiy be due to adulteration or to the use of other fuel with the hulls.
LiME-KiLX Ashes. Tlie.se are obtained in the burning of lime with wood and usually contain less than 1.5 per cent, of potash, about 1 per cent, of phosphoric acid, and 45 to 50 per cent, of lime. Tile low percentage of potash and phos- phoric acid, and high percentage of lime, are due to admixture of lime from the kiln. Such ashes are valuable mainly for their lime.
Other Kixns of Ashes. Among other kinds of ashes wiiich occasionally attain some agricul- tural importance are tan-bark ashes, which, ac- cording to Voorhees, seldom contain more than 2 per cent, of potash, 1.5 per cent, of phosphoric acid, and 33 per cent, of lime; coal ashes, which contain only traces of phosphoric acid and solu- ble potash and are useful only for improving the physical condition of heavy soils ; and seaweed ashes, which are very variable in composition on account of imperfect incineration or admixture of impurities, but are generally very poor in fertilizing constituents.
ASHEVILLE, .^sh'vil. A city and county-
seat of Buncombe County, N. C, 202 miles by
rail northeast of -Atlanta. Ga. ; at the junction of
the Swannanoa and the French Broad rivers, and
on the Southern Railway (Map: North Carolina,
B 4). It is finely situated, at an elevation of
2300 feet in a mountainous region, and is widely
celebrated as a health resort, both summer and
winter. The city contains a public library, -she-
ville Normal and Collegiate Institute, Bingham
Military School, Asheville School for Boys,
Asheville College for Young Women, Asheville -Academy of Fine -Arts, and other educational institutions. The post - office and Inited States Government building, county court-house, city hall, auditorium, and Bat-
tery Park Hotel are notable buildings, and
additional points of interest are Overlook Park,
Richmond Hill, Beaumont (grounds), Conally's
View, and Swannanoa Drive along the river
bank. Adjoining the city is the great Vanderbilt
estate, Biltmore. Asheville is in a region which
has some mineral wealth an4 valuable timber,
and is especially adapted to stock-raising, dairy-
ing, and general agriculture, as well as truck-
gardening and fruit-growing; it has become an
important tobacco market and manufactures
wagons, cars, agricultural implements, cotton
goods, tanned leather, and tobacco. Settled in
17!t2, -Asheville was first incorporated about 1835.
The government, under a revised charter of 1901,
is vested in a mayor, biennially elected; a city
council, chosen on a general ticket, and subor-
dinate officials, the majority of whom are eitlier
elected by the council or confirmed by that body
upon nomination of the executive. The water-
works are owned and operated bv the municipal-
ity. Population, in ISOO, 10,235 ; in 1900, 14,694.
ASH FLY. A gall-fly of the oak {Cynic
qiicrcifoUi) . See Gall-Insects.
ASH'FORD. A market town of Kent, Eng-
land, situated on the Stour, about 54 miles south-
east of London ( ilap : England, G 5 ) . It is well
biiilt and lighted, and has an excellent water
supply. The town maintains public baths, a
park, hospital, and technical schools. It has
manufactures of linen goods and pianos, and a
large workshop of the Southeastern Railway.
Population, 1891, 10,700; in 1901, 12,800. Ash-
ford was the home of Jack Cade (q.v. ).
ASH'HURST, John (1839-1900). An Ameri-
can surgeon. He was born at Pliiladelphia,
graduated in 1857 at the University of Pennsyl-
vania; studied medicine, and from 1802 to 1865
was assistant-surgeon in the United States Army.
He was appointed professor of clinical surgery
in the University of Pennsylvania in 1877, Bar-
ton professor of surgery in 1883, and president
of the Philadelphia College of Physicians in
1898. He was a member of several scientific
societies, and edited Eriehsen's Science and
Art of Hurijery (1869) and the Infernational
Encyclopcedia of Surtjcry, 2 vols. (1881-86). His
original publications include Injuries of the
Sjiine (1867) and Principles and Practice of
Surgery (1871).
ASHI, ;-ish'i, Rabbi (352-427 a.d.). A son of
Simai and member of a well-known family. Nothing is known of his childhood life or education, but at an early age he became the head of the Rabbinical school at Sura or Sora in Babylonia. He is said to have rebuilt the schoolhouse at that place, and such was the distinction which he gained among his contemporaries that he was accorded the honorable title 'Rabbana,' i.e. 'our teacher.' His chief claim to fame rests ujion the attempt that he made to gather the discussions of the Rabbis on the Mishnah into a compilation known as the 'Geniara,' which, together with the Mishnah. represents the Talmud. He worked at this task for more than fifty years, but it was left for his successors to complete it. See Talmud.
