FERTILIZERS. 127 



store up the water in the lower layers of the soil. Soils containing sul- 

 l)hate of potash behave in this respect like soils containing- no potash 

 salts, which drink up the rain very slowly. 



(6) In dry seasons the improvement of the mechanical condition of the 

 soil undoubtedly does more to mitigate beet sickness tliau tlie hygro- 

 scoi)icity of the associated salts of the potash fertilizers. 



The production of manure by the horse, H. P. Armsby [Penn- 

 sylvania iSta. Rpt. 1802, pp. 70-84). 



Synopsis. — Observations ou a number of horses during 10 dajs indicate that, making 

 allowauce for manure dropped outside of the stable, a horse annually produces 

 about 12,500 lbs. of fresh manure, which can be saved, and requires for bedding 

 2,500 lbs. of straw. A ton of wheat straw economically used as bedding for 

 horses may result in 6 tons of fresh manure, but is not likely in geueral practice 

 to furnish more than 5 tons, and much less if few animals are kept or the manure 

 infre([uently removed. 



In order to secure data for an answer to the question whether it is 

 profitable for farmers to " haul their straw to town or city stables and 

 take the resulting manure in jiayment," two experiments were carried 

 out. 



"In the first of these a stable of 8 horses — 4 mares and 4 geldings — was experi- 

 mented n2Jon. At the beginning of the experiment they were bedded with fresh 

 wheat straw, and everj' morning as much of this as was wet or soiled was removed 

 and replaced by fresh straw in the evening. The animals stood on a clay floor, and 

 were in their stalls, on the average, 18 hours out of the 24. The amount of straw 

 used for the 8 horses during the 10 days was 1,238 lbs., which is equivalent to 5,648 lbs. 

 per horse per year. The second experiment corresponded more nearly to the condi- 

 tions likely to jirevail in city and town stables. It was made upon 7 of the 8 animals 

 which formed the subject of the first experiment, viz, 3 mares and 4 geldings. The 

 soiled bedding was removed daily, but that which was simply wet was spread out 

 and allowed to dry and used over again. In other words, the straw was used as 

 economically as possible. There was nsed in this way for the 7 horses in 10 daj's 

 483 lbs. of straw, equivalent to 2,519 lbs. per horse per year. The horses were in 

 their stalls, on the average, 17.8 hours out of the 24. If Ave may assume the condi- 

 tions of this second experiment to have been similar to those which prevail in city 

 stables, we may take as the basis of our calculations a consumption of 2,500 lbs. of 

 straw per horse per year for bedding purposes." 



It is estimated that each horse produces annually 12,0G7 lbs. of fresh 

 manure which can be saved (deducting amount dropped while at work), 

 worth $13.G5. For the 2,500 lbs. of straw w^hich the farmer carries to 

 the stable he carries away about 15,000 lbs. of manure. 



"It is manifestly impossible to make any general statement as to whether such a 

 transaction would be profitable or not. It would depend altogether upon tlio cost 

 of the hauling, which, again, would depend upon the distance, the facilities for 

 loading and unloading, and the other uses to which the teams could be put." 



The following geueral conclusions are drawn from the data: 



"Aton of wheat straw, economically handled, may resultin Gtonsof fresh manure, 

 but under no ordinary circumstances will it be more than ... 5 tons. 



"In stables where but 1 or 2 horses are kept, or where the manure is infreijuently 

 hauled away, the product might not greatly exceed 2i tons when the time came to 

 remove it." 



