SOILS — FEETILIZEKS. 



23 



on that of the succeeding crop of beets. Other experiments have shown that 

 the action of the mineral constituents of manure is determined by the action 

 of the phosphoric acid contained in the latter. The more marked the action 

 of manure the more marlved was the action of phosphatic fertilizers. Small 

 amounts of manure in combination with phosphates (Thomas slag and super- 

 phosphate) gave as large yields as large amounts of manure. The nonaction 

 of nitrogen on chernozem is accounted for by the striking nitrifying capacity 

 of chernozem. 



Analyses of fertilizing materials, V. Viner {Otchet Shatilov. Sclsk. Khoz. 

 Opuitn. Stantzil, 4 (1909), i)t. 2, pp. 63-71; abs. in Zhur. Opiiitn. Agron. (Russ. 

 Jour. Expt. Landw.), 11 {1910), No. 1, pp. 101, 102).— This investigation is 

 mainly concerned with the composition of manure in relation to the time of 

 hauling to the field, the degree of decomposition, the kind of animal, leaching, 

 and origin. 



Manure hauled out in the winter was found to be richer in nitrogen and 

 phosphoric acid than that hauled out in the summer. In the process of decom- 

 position of the manure there is an increase in the percentage of ash, nitrogen, 

 and phosphoric acid, although about one-third of the total nitrogen is lost. The 

 influence of the kind of animal was masked by that of other factors. Cow 

 manure, being more moist, underwent more decomposition than horse manure. 

 Comparing the composition of manure when hauled out in the winter with the 

 same manure before plowing under in May, it was found that besides a consid- 

 erable loss of dry matter (28 per cent), the phosphoric acid content had de- 

 creased to one-third and the nitrogen content to one-half. 



Composition of the urine and dung' of the more important animals, A. 

 Sttjtzer (FiihUng's Landw. Ztg., 95 (1910), No. 13, pp. J,50-',52) .—The author 

 reports the average results of a number of analyses of the fresh dung and urine 

 of cows, horses, sheep, and swine. 



The average nitrogen content of dung and urine of cows given feed not 

 specially rich in nitrogen was decidedly greater than that usually given, and 

 about as high as that for dung and urine of horses and sheep. The average 

 nitrogen content of the urine of sheep was lower than that usually given. The 

 percentage of potash in the swine manure was unusually high as a result of the 

 liberal use of potatoes in the rations, amounting to 9.5 parts per 1,000 in the 

 urine and 7 parts in the dung. These figures were retUiced to 8 and 5, respec- 

 tively, in the averages adopted, as shown in the following table: 



Average composition of fresh dung and urine of farm animals. 

 [Parts per 1,000.] 



67374°— No. 1—11- 



