ASHES, the remains of animal and vegetable bodies after burning. It is not strictly correct to speak of the ashes of a mineral. When lead, for instance, is exposed to heat, it turns to dross, which has the appearance of A., but is merely the lead combined with oxygen. In the same way, volcanic A., as they are called, are only a finer kind of pumice-stone, the solidified scum of molten lava. The ashes of organic substances destroyed by fire consist of the fixed salts contained in these substances. Inland-plants, the most important are salts of potash, along with silica and lime; in sea-plants, soda takes the place of potash. By lixiviation of the A., the potash or soda is dissolved and separated from the insoluble mass, and is then purified by crystallization. The A. of sea-plants contain also more or less iodine. Peat and turf ashes contain, besides alka lies, more or less clay and sand; the same is true of pit-coal, which sometimes contains iron.
At one time, the A. or inorganic ingredients of plants were considered unessential to their existence. But the progress of vegetable chemistry has taught that a certain pro portion of saline food is absolutely necessary to the development of plants. The anal
ysis of the A. of the different kinds of vegetable substances has since become of great interest.
The A. of animal bodies do not differ greatly from these of vegetables. Bone-A. consist essentially of lime united with phosphoric acid. This bone-earth is very valu able as manure for grain. In well-wooded countries, A. from burnt wood form an article of considerable trade. They are much used in the arts, as soap-boiling, bleach ing, dyeing, glass-making, etc. Wood-A. are also used in washing and other domestic processes as a cheap preparation of potash (q.v.).
The covering of the head with A. has long been a common sign of mourning among eastern nations, indicative of the very deepest distress. Instances of this are mentioned in Scripture. Penitents in the early Christian church signified their sorrow and humili ation in like manner, by standing at the door of the church in "sackcloth and ashes." See ASH-WEDNESDAY.