DAIRY AND SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETINGS. 295 



manure contains, about two-thirds of the nitrogen and four- 

 fifths of the potash found in manure. The plant food in the 

 Hquid portion of the manure is soluble and hence is very quickly 

 available when added to the soil. Taking this fact into con- 

 sideration, we find that more than one-half the value of the 

 manure is in the liquid portion, and if this is not saved, we are 

 losing over one-half the value of the plant food in the manure. 



To show that this loss can be measured in crop production, 

 an experiment conducted by the New Jersey Experiment Sta- 

 tion will be quoted. For three years, they compared an appli- 

 cation of the solid part of the manure alone, with the solid and 

 liquid parts together. These were added in quantities that 

 would furnish the same amounts of nitrogen. As an average 

 for the three years, they found that the solid part of the 

 manure alone produced an increase of 43.9% over plots 

 to which no manure was applied, while the solid and liquid 

 portions of the manure produced an increase of 83%. This 

 result shows that the liquid part of the manure has a value 

 which can be measured in crop production. The prevention 

 of this loss means that the floors of the stable must be water 

 tight and that plenty of absorbents for bedding must be used 

 to absorb the liquid portion of the manure. If there is dripping 

 from the manure when it is moved, the farmer should realize 

 that the most valuable part of the manure is being lost. 



The loss in manure by leaching will be considered next. By 

 this is meant the loss that occurs when the manure is thrown 

 out doors and the rain water runs through it carrying away 

 either on the surface of the ground or into the soil beneath the 

 manure pile the soluble parts of the manure. This loss occurs 

 in all the elements and means a loss of the most valuable parts. 

 The Cornell Experiment Station conducted several experiments 

 to determine the loss of plant food when manure was thrown 

 into the barnyard and left in piles for some time. On an aver- 

 age of several experiments where the manure was left from 

 fifty to one hundred and thirty days, 52% of the nitrogen, 50% 

 of the phosphoric acid, and 57% of the potash originally in 

 the manure was washed away. This plant food may simply 

 seep into the ground beneath the manure pile and be lost while 

 nothing will occur to call the attention of the farmer to the 

 loss. If manure is left out in the barnyard for any length of 



