10 



contains 10 pounds of nitrogen, 10 pounds of potash and 5 pounds of phosphoric 



aoid. 



Experience shows that no manures can quite take the place of the farmyard 

 manure. It is what may be spoken of as the natural return to the soil of the 

 constituents taken from it. All other substances are in a sense supplements, 

 materials added to make good some special deficiency in the soil, or to supply 

 some plant food constituent particularly required by the crop to be grown. Hence, 

 the care and treatment of the farmyard manure is fundamental in all good 

 agriculture. 



Guano. 



Guano is the dried dung of sea birds, together with portions of their feathers, 

 bones and the refuse of their food. This material accumulates on islands or 

 near the coast in tropical climates. The chief deposits have been found in Korth 

 and South America, Africa, Australia, the West Indies and Islands of the Pacific. 

 Some of the original deposits are now exhausted. Where the deposits of Guano 

 have been got from rainless districts, or at least, where they have not been subjected 

 to the leaching action of water, they are rich in nitrogen and may contain from 

 7 to 11 per cent, of .nitrogen and 5 to 15 per cent, of phosphoric acid. Where 

 they have been subjected to a leaching action, the amount of nitrogen is very 

 much reduced, and as the phosphates are not soluble, these materials have increased 

 in proportion. This makes the chief difference between the two forms of guanos 

 that are brought into the country. There is, however, comparatively little of 

 this material brought into Ontario, as most of the small supply which now remains 

 is taken to the European countries. 



One feature that has lent value to the guanos is that the nitrogen is largely 

 in the amide and ammoniacal condition and is thus very quickly brought into 

 an available condition. In this respect it stands next to the nitrates. 



Deied Blood. 



Dried blood from our large slaughter houses is frequently used as a manure. 

 It is one of the richest of the organic nitrogenous materials in nitrogen and it is 

 one of the best since its physical character is such as to permit of its very rapid 

 decay in the soil during the growing season. It contains 9 to 12 per cent, of 

 nitrogen and a small amount of phosphoric acid. Dried blood is frequently 

 applied along with nitrate of soda when a fairly large continuous supply of 

 the nitrogen is wanted throughout the growing season. 



Dried Meat Meals, or Meat Guanos. 



This material is another source of high grade organic nitrogen and consists 

 of meat scraps, or of nitrogenous materials from the slaughter houses. When 

 relatively pure it contains from 13 to 14 per cent, of nitrogen and thus compares 

 favorably with blood. 



Bones. 



Bones form a very important manure, particularly on soils which show a 

 deficiency of phosphoric acid or for crops that require considerable quantities 



