SECRETARY'S REPORT. Q\ 



replace the fertilizing elements of the solid at less expense than we 

 could those of the liquid, for the vtrine contains more largely of 

 nitrogen, -which, in practice, is found to be the element needful to 

 vegetation most difficult and costly to supply. It is true, that more 

 than three-fourths . of the atmosphere consists of nitrogen, and so 

 plants are constantly enveloped in it, but plants do not possess the 

 power to appropriate it as thus existing, nor in any -way except it be 

 first combined with some other body. Hydrogen and nitrogen com- 

 bined, form ammonia.* and this is the source whence plants obtain 

 nearly all their nitrogen, and the special value of urine arises from 

 the fact that during its decomposition, ammonia is freely evolved, 

 while the solid portion of the excrements contain very little from 

 w^iich it could be evolved. 



Evei-y one is familiar with the great efficacy of the excrements 

 of poultry, or other bird manure, compared with ordinary farm-yard 

 manure, and this great superiority is owing to the fact that in that 

 of the bird is all of the liquid as well as the solid, and hence the 

 abundance of ammonia yielded by manure from the hen-roosts or by 

 guano. Ammonia is contained in very small proportion in rain- 

 water; enough, it is said, to afford to growing plants vigor sufficient 

 to enable them to perfect seed and so secure reproduction, but that 

 if, in addition to this, we would have plants yield a supply of human 

 food, more nitrogen must be supplied. 



The liquid excretions of animals may be saved by means of tanks, 

 cisterns, &c., and applied directly to the land; but situated as a 

 great majority of our formers at present are, the preferable way is 

 to use absorbants. 



The time will probably come, and perhaps at no very distant day, 

 when a large part of our fertilization, and especially upon light 

 soils, will be effected by means of the application of liquid manures, 

 for in some respects this mode is vastly superior to any other, but it 

 involves an outlay for necessary apparatus beyond the present means 

 of our agriculturists. 



Nearly all have on their own premises, or can easily obtain, an 



* Ammonia is usually present in the atmosphere, but in very minute proportion. 

 It can be detected also in rain-water, and the peculiarly invigorating- etTect of biief 

 summer showers is in part attributable to the ammonia which the rain has absorbed 

 from the air in its descent. 



