LOSS OF MANUEE BY AGE. 169 



to. From the estimates made, it follows that to keep stock to 

 make clung will not pay, as twenty pounds of soda-ash to one 

 cord of peat will equal one cord of manure made by a milch 

 cow fed on potatoes and hay, and will not cost as much to 

 produce it as it does from the cow. 



Age reduces the quantity of fresh manure, as follows : — 



100 loads lose in bulk in 81 days, 26.7, or become 73.3 



in 285 " 35.7, ** 64.3 



in 384 " 37.5, " 62.5 



in 499 ** 52.8, *« 47.2 



In sixteen months the quantity has been reduced to less 

 than half and the most valuable salts lost. The reduction in 

 weight depends upon two causes : the elimination of gases 

 by fermentation, and the loss of soluble matters by drainage, 

 — the latter, least feared, being the most serious. 



The following table shows the loss sustained in twelve 

 months by 2,838 pounds manure put in a heap in the usual 

 way, and exposed to the weather : — 



Put up Nov. 3, 1854. Apr. 30, 1855. Aug. 23, 1855. Nov. 15, 1855. 



Weight of manure in pounds, 2,838 



Amount of water in manure, 1,877.9 

 Amount of dry matter in man- 

 ure, 960.1 



Consisting of soluble organic 

 matter, .... 70.38 



Consisting of soluble mineral 

 matler, .... 48.71 



Consisting of insoluble organ- 

 ic matter, .... 631.07 



Consisting of organic mineral 

 matter, .... 214.94 



960.10 689,90 488.70 407.50 



The amount of nitrogen, and its equivalents of ammonia, in 

 the preceding soluble and insoluble organic matter, is as 



follows : — 



Soluble Organic Matter. 

 Containing nitrogen, . . 4.22 6.07 3.76 3.65 



Equal to ammonia, . . 5.12 7.37 4.56 4.26 



22 



