— 86 — 



THE MANURIAL VALUE OF THE RATIONS. 



The value of the manure made from the animals fed is a matter 

 of prime importance, to all eastern farmers at least. And often 

 the manure left on the farm represents a large part, if not the 

 whole, of the profit made from feeding a lot of animals. For this 

 reason we have calculated the manurial value of the rations fed 

 the different lots, and have placed it along side the cost of the 

 foods used. 



The basis of calculation has ])een that 80 per cent, of the manu- 

 rial value of the food is recovered in the manure. With lambs so 

 highly fed as these were, it is altogether likely that more than 80 

 per cent, of the manurial value of the foods was excreted. 



Nitrogen is reckoned at 17 cents per pound, phosphoric acid at 

 7, and potash at 4'^. 



Cost of Manurial Cost of Ration less 



Kation. Value. Value of Manure. 



Lot III.— (Carbonaceous) |3-7o . . . . 5i.r2 12.58 



Lot IV.— (Nitrogenous) 4.66 . . . 3.56 i.io 



Lot V. — (Intermediate, with roots), 4.78. ... 2.10 2.68 



LotVI— ( " without roots), 4.51. . . . 1.97 2.54 



This little table is certainly worth careful consideration by those 

 who are accustomed to buy commercial fertilizers at the prices 

 given above. 



Since a large portion of the arable land in the State of New York 

 is now cultivated at a positive loss or at a very small profit, 

 and since the reason for this is largely want of plant food in 

 the soil ; therefore, the value of the voidings of animals and the 

 character of the plants raised on the farm, must necessarily receive 

 our most careful consideration. 



Referring to the table above, it will be seen that while the first 

 cost of the ration of the nitrogeneous fed sheep was larger than 

 that of the carbonaceous, yet when the value of the manure is 

 subtracted, the cost of the former is less than half of the latter. 



I. P. ROBERTS, 

 HENRY H. WING. 



