EXHIBIT 10.17

                     FORM OF RESTRICTED STOCK AGREEMENT


NAME OF COMPANY:                                     ASHLAND  INC.

NAME OF PARTICIPANT:

NUMBER OF SHARES OF ASHLAND INC.
    COMMON STOCK

PAR VALUE PER SHARE:                                 $0.01

VESTING SCHEDULE:                                    60% OR XXX ON XXX
                                                     40% OR XXX ON XXX


DATE OF AWARD:


         WHEREAS,  Ashland Inc.  (hereinafter  called "Ashland") desires to
award   to   the   above-named   Participant    (hereinafter   called   the
"Participant"),  ________  shares of Ashland Common Stock,  par value $0.01
per share, subject to certain restrictions  (hereinafter called "Restricted
Stock"),  pursuant  to  the  __________________   (hereinafter  called  the
"Plan"),  in order to provide the Participant with an additional  incentive
to  continue  his/her  services  to Ashland and to continue to work for the
best interests of Ashland;

         NOW,  THEREFORE,   Ashland  hereby  confirms  this  award  to  the
Participant, as a matter of separate agreement and not in lieu of salary or
any other compensation for services,  of the number of shares of Restricted
Stock set forth above,  subject to and upon all the terms,  provisions  and
conditions  contained  herein  and in the Plan,  which is  incorporated  by
reference.  Full details of the Plan are in the legal text of the Plan.  If
there  are  any  differences   between  the  general   description  of  the
restrictions  offered  herein  and the  legal  text of the  Plan,  the Plan
governs.

         Your award will be evidenced by the issuance of  Restricted  Stock
Certificates.  Each  certificate  issued in respect of shares of Restricted
Stock shall be registered in the name of the  Participant,  but held in the
custody of Ashland  along with a copy of an executed  Stock Power (the form
of which is  attached  hereto as Exhibit  A), and shall bear the  following
legend:

         "The  transferability  of this certificate and the shares of stock
         represented  hereby  are  subject  to  the  terms  and  conditions
         (including  forfeitures)  contained  in the Ashland Inc. Incentive
         Plan from which the shares were issued and the  Agreement  entered
         into between the registered owner and Ashland Inc."



         The Restricted  Stock will vest according to the Vesting  Schedule
and  may  not  be  sold,  assigned,  transferred,   pledged,  or  otherwise
encumbered  (except to the extent such shares shall have vested) until such
date.  Unless  otherwise  determined  and  directed  by the  Personnel  and
Compensation Committee (the "Committee"),  in the case of the Participant's
termination  for any reason prior to the lapse of all  restrictions  on the
Restricted  Stock,  all such Restricted  Stock which has not vested will be
forfeited.  Except for such  restrictions  described above, the Participant
will  have all  rights  of a  shareholder  with  respect  to the  shares of
Restricted  Stock  including,  but not limited to, the right to vote and to
receive dividends if and when paid.

         As the Restricted  Stock vests,  you will owe  applicable  federal
income and employment taxes and state and local income and employment taxes
at the Vesting Date of the shares of Restricted  Stock. The amount of taxes
due in each instance is based on the fair market value of the shares on the
Vesting Date.

         Nothing  contained  in this  Agreement or in the Plan shall confer
upon the Participant any right to remain in the service of Ashland.

         Subject to the terms and  conditions  specified  herein and of the
Plan,  the  Restricted  Stock  shall  be  confirmed  by  execution  of this
Agreement and delivery  thereof no later than  _______________  to Ashland,
which is located at 3499 Blazer  Parkway,  Lexington,  KY 40509  Attention:
Shane Davis.  THE RIGHT TO THE RESTRICTED STOCK UNDER THE PLAN SHALL EXPIRE
IF NOT ACCEPTED BY ______________ AS SET FORTH ABOVE.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  ASHLAND  has caused  this  instrument  to be
executed  and  delivered  effective  as of the day  and  year  first  above
written.  This Restricted  Stock Agreement shall not be valid unless signed
by a Vice President, Human Resources of Ashland.

                                    ASHLAND INC.
                                    By:




                                     Vice President, Human Resources

     I hereby elect to receive my award of Restricted  Stock subject to the
terms and  conditions  of the Amended and Restated  Ashland Inc.  Incentive
Plan.  My election  to accept the award of  Restricted  Stock is  effective
_________________,  which is the date that the grant  was  approved  by the
Ashland Inc. Board of Directors.



- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
{Insert Name}                                                          Date





STOCK POWER                                                         Exhibit A

FOR  VALUE  RECEIVED,   __________________________________________   hereby
sells,  assigns and transfers  unto  ______________________________________
(________)  Shares of the  _____________________________  Capital  Stock of
___________________________  standing in _________________________  name on
the  books  of  said  ____________________________________  represented  by
Certificate No. __________  herewith and do hereby  irrevocably  constitute
and appoint ________________________________  attorney to transfer the said
stock  on the  books  of the  within  named  Company  with  full  power  of
substitution in the premises.

Dated: __________, ____
                                          ------------------------------------
                                                        Participant


                                         Signature Guaranteed By:


                                         Not Required
                                         --------------------------------------
                                                    (Name of Bank)


                                         By:
                                            -----------------------------------
                                                  (Signature of Officer)


                                         --------------------------------------
                                                    (Title of Officer)

                                         TO BE EXECUTED BY A DULY AUTHORIZED
                                         OFFICER OF THE BANK