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Re: OT-ish Re: Fungi - A Primer

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Thanks all of you for your wisdom on Potash vs. Wood Ash.   I knew there was a
connection as I had read it somewhere--as Kragen pointed out.  We have a new
home in Colorado and a gas fireplace as wood burning fireplaces cannot be built
in new homes.  We actually have wood burning restrictions in Denver on certain
days in which air quality is jeopardized.  So, trying to find some wood ash has
been a bit of a challenge  Oh well--guess I won't use any.   Gratefully, Lorri
Zone 5

Kragen Sitaker wrote:

> Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
>
> On potash,  Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, from 1913, says:
>
>   Potash \Pot"ash`\, n. [Pot + ash.] (Chem.)
>      (a) The hydroxide of potassium hydrate, a hard white brittle
>          substance, {KOH}, having strong caustic and alkaline
>          properties; -- hence called also {caustic potash}.
>      (b) The impure potassium carbonate obtained by leaching wood
>          ashes, either as a strong solution (lye), or as a white
>          crystalline (pearlash).
>
> I believe wood ash actually consists largely of metal compounds such as
> potassium carbonate.
>
> (Apparently you can derive potassium hydroxide from potassium carbonate
> by mixing it with quicklime; the resulting double-replacement reaction
> produces potassium hydroxide and insoluble calcium carbonate.)
>
> Potassium was discovered in 1807; some random web page
> (http://www.studiopotter.org/articles/art0001.htm) claims that the term
> "potasch" entered the Dutch language in (presumably they mean "by")
> 1598, and entered English in ("by"?) 1648.  (Etymology: "pot" + "asch",
> both words corresponding to their English meanings.  Ash from wood
> burned in pots.)  This strongly suggests to me that "potassium" was
> named after potash, not the other way around.
>
> Hope this helps.  (Now where's my "pencil protector"?)
>
> --
> <kragen@pobox.com>       Kragen Sitaker     <http://www.pobox.com/~kragen/>
> The Internet stock bubble didn't burst on 1999-11-08.  Hurrah!
> <URL:http://www.pobox.com/~kragen/bubble.html>
> The power didn't go out on 2000-01-01 either.  :)
>
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