The Production of Manure. 



During the winters of 1891-2 and 1892-3 experiments were made to 

 determine the' proportion of nitrogen, phosphorus acid and potas^h 

 recovered in the voidings of the various domestic animals from the 

 amount of these ingredients consumed in the food under the varied con- 

 ditions which our domestic animals are usually kept. Particular refer- 

 ence was given to the age of the animals, quality and quantity of 

 food consumed, together with the value of the total voidings as plant 

 food and some reference to the value of different absorbents for 

 stable use. 



In bulletin No. 27 are given the results of experiments to determine 

 the amoiint and value of voidings from horses, cows, sheep and pigs. 

 These experiments have been repeated under the same conditions as 

 then existed and also under quite different conditions as regards 

 quality and quantity of food consumed. In some instances the ration 

 was made highly nitrogenous for the express purpose of comparing the 

 percentage of plant food recovered with that recovered from rations 

 containing a much less proportion of nitrogen. In general, however, 

 the food fed during the experiments was similar in quantity and 

 .quality to that usually fed on the University farm. 



In all the experiments the word excrement is used to denote the 

 voidings of animals and the word manure to denote the voidings 

 mixed with straw or plaster or both. The values given are calculated 

 as nitrogen at fifteen cents, phosphoric acid at six cents and potash at 

 four and one-half cents per pound. 



Experiments icith sheep. — For each of these experiments two sheep 

 were used and in each trial they were confined in a pen, the bottom of 

 which was covered with water-tight galvanized iron pans. Clean fine- 

 cut wheat straw of known composition was used for bedding in suffi- 

 cient quantities to keep the sheep clean. The sheep in experiments 

 Nos. 1 to 5 inclusive were mature thoroughbred Shropshire and Horn 

 Dorset rams, in experiment No. 6, grade Merino were used. In each 

 trial the sheep were weighed at the beginning and end; the average 

 weight only is given in the tables. The ration fed consisted, in all 



