91 



Indeed, the value of the manure of any given animal for 

 fertilizing purposes is determined almost wholly by the pro- 

 portions of phosphoric acid, potash and nitrogen contained 

 in the feed stuffs, and analyses of manures resulting from 

 the use of foods rich in the valuable elements of plant food 

 invaribly show a marked superiority over those produced 

 from a food less rich in those constituents. 



For instance, carefully conducted feeding experiments 

 have shown that the manure obtained where cotton seed 

 meal and hulls were used, possessed a value more than 40 

 per cent, greater than that of manure resulting from the 

 employment of an ordinary mixed feed. 



In England and several continental countries, it is fre- 

 quently the case that large numbers of cattle are fattened 

 on high grade and concentrated feeds, either grown on ad- 

 jacent land or imported, the manure carefully collected and 

 preserved and in many instances returned to the very soils 

 on which the feed stuffs have been produced, with only a 

 very small net loss of the original fertilizing constituents 

 removed by the crop from the soiL 



The careful littering or bedding of the stalls of farm 

 animals is of far greater importance than it is generally con- 

 sidered to be, and a disregard of the necessity of giving 

 proper attention to this matter undoubtedly leads to con- 

 siderable loss of valuable fertilizing ingredients. The chief 

 function of the litter is to absorb the liquid manures which 

 would otherwise go to waste and which it is very important 

 to preserve and properly utilize. 



The liquid manures of most farm animals contain rela- 

 tively larger proportions of nitrogen and potash than do the 

 solid excrements, and if these are not properly collected, it 

 can be readily seen that there will be a loss of no incon- 

 siderable amounts of the total fertilizing materials which 

 are excreted. Among the materials ordinarily employed for 

 litter or bedding may be mentioned straw of various kinds* 

 leaves, saw dust, peat, muck, etc., though the first named 

 substance is more extensively used than any other. 



