Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 March 1886 — Uses of Coal Ashes. [ARTICLE]

Uses of Coal Ashes.

A friend of mine, years ago, had some currant bushes from which he was able to harvest scarcely any fruit. The borer was the destroyer. His neighbors had long before given up their bushes, as they deemed it impossible to grow a crop. My friend conceived the idea of spreading coal ashes about the bushes, and the results surprised none more than himself, for, from that day to this, have the borers left him coldly alone, and every season his bushes bear fruit in plenty. Our own currant and gooseberry bushes have similar treatment, and we grow fruit most successfully. We have found coal ashes equally effective as a preventive against bcrers in other cases. A plentiful mixture of ashes with soil has kept the radish maggot from our radish bed, so that we have an abundance of good vegetables.

Another excellent place where coal ashes may be well used is on the dirt walk. Few unstoned walks are better ftian the well-made ash walk, for it is solid and retains its form under most trying circumstances. Where coal ashes are spread on the walk we have found less weeds to grow, and a better path as a result. In between cobblestones placed for paving ashes m .ke a fine packing. As a fertilizer coal ashes practically have no value.

Yes, Laura, you can excel in newspaper work. A girl makes just as good a reporter as a man. A great deal better, in fact. But then you will labor under some disadvantage, being a girl. When you are writing up a county fair, for instance, you can’t smoke in the eyes of the good old lady who peeps over your shoulder to see what you are saying about her canned pears and home-made bread, and you can’t very well prod a class superintendent in the ribs with a pencil and call him Say, and you can't sit on the parapet of the grand stand and let your feet hang over during the races. And you can’t play billiards and drink beer. Oh, you can ? Well, then, you’d better forget how, if you’re going to be a reporter, else you’ll never have time to do anything else.— R. J. Burdetle.