FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * ESLER SUSAN B   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ASHLAND INC. [ASH] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Vice President (Last) (First) (Middle) 50 E. RIVERCENTER BOULEVARD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/31/2006 (Street) COVINGTON, KY 41012-0391 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 04/04/2006 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 03/31/2006   D(1)   3,388 D $ 71.08 2,647 (2) D   Common Stock 04/04/2006(2)   S(2)   1,160 D $ 70.53 1,487 (2) D   Common Stock               634 (3) I 401(K)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
ESLER SUSAN B 50 E. RIVERCENTER BOULEVARD COVINGTON, KY 41012-0391			Vice President

Signatures

David B. Mattingly, Attorney-in-Fact		04/07/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(2)	Due to a clerical error, the sale of 1,160 shares back to the issuer on 3/31/2006 under Transaction Code D was originally reported on Form 4 filed on 04/04/2006. The Form 4 should have reflected the sale on 4/4/2006 of 1,160 Common Stock shares on the open market under Transaction Code S and the balance of the Common Stock direct ownership from the 3/31/2006 exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights of 2,647 shares.
(1)	The disposition of the 3,388 shares reflects the cost of exercising the 4,548 Stock Appreciation Rights at the exercise price and includes taxes withheld for the transaction.
(3)	This line item is not new or revised but is being reported again solely to gain access to the system in order to amend the Form 4 filed on 4/4/2006. Based on Employee Savings Plan information as of 3-31-2006, the latest date for which such information is reasonably available.

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