318 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Examinations of barnyard manure and liquid manure on Danish farms, 

 R. K. Kkistknskn and F. IIanskn (Tidsskr. Landbr. Plantcavl, IJf {1907), pp. 

 5J5-570, ]Uj!f. 3). — Experiments were conducted on G different farms for the 

 purpose of studying the accuracy of methods of sampling manure heaps. 

 Three or four sami)les weva taken at each i)lace and analyzed for nitrogen, 

 dry matter, and ash. The samples were taken by cutting at least G square holes 

 in the manure pile l)y means of a hay knife, and uniting the colunnis of manure 

 thus obtained, making a sample of about 50 lbs. weight, which was then worked 

 over thoroughly and about 3 lbs. taken for analysis. Prior to drying the 

 samples in the laboratory, tartaric-acid solution was added to prevent loss of 

 volatile nitrogen compounds. When the manure was sampled as hauled out, 

 a forkful of each load was placed in a tightly covered box, and from the lot 

 of about 600 lbs. of manure a 3-lb. sample was secured for analysis. This 

 method of sampling gave very satisfactory results, especially where the ma- 

 nure was of a rather uniform composition, agreeing within 0.05 per cent for 

 nitrogen and within 1 to 2 per cent for dry matter. Greater variations occurred 

 in the ash, owing to frequent admixtures of foreign inorganic materials like 

 dirt from roots, yard sweepings, etc. 



The influence of the feed on the nitrogen content of the liquid manure was 

 studied in a series of experiments. Samples of cow urine from 45 different 

 Danish farms were examined and their composition studied with reference to 

 the influence of the system of feeding practiced. The influence of heavy or 

 light feeding of oil cakes, concentrates, straw, or roots could not be traced 

 to any marked degree in the nitrogen content of the urine. On the other hand 

 the urine obtained on heavy feeding of hay contained on the average T).498 

 per cent of nitrogen against 0.429 per cent in that from light hay feeding 

 (averages for 23 and 22 farms, respectively). The differences in the case of 

 the other feeds mentioned were within a few hundredths of 1 per cent when a 

 heavy or a light system of feeding of a particular feed was practiced. 



The manner of covering liquid-manure tanks was found of great importance 

 with regard to the losses of nitrogen, cow urine kept in carefully covered tanks 

 containing on the average 0.615 per cent of nitrogen while that from poorly 

 covered tanks contained only 0.285 per cent. The maximum in samples from 

 carefully covered tanks was 0.836 per cent and the minimum from poorly cov- 

 ered tanks 0.169 per cent. A relatively high specific gravity with a low nitro- 

 gen content shows that ammonia has been lost by evaporation. .,. 



Determinations of potash in liquid manure in 18 different cisterns showed 

 variations in this constituent of from 0.50 to 1.24 per cent, the average being 

 0.79 per cent, with an average production of urine per cow of 39.4 cu. ft. 

 Similar determinations of phosphoric acid showed variations in the case of 

 four cisterns of from 0.006 to 0.008 per cent, average 0.007 per cent. Com- 

 plete statistical data as to the methods of construction and covering of the 

 cisterns, production of liquid manure, method of feeding, etc., with the anal- 

 yses of the contents of the cisterns on 70 different farms, are given at the close 

 of the report. 



Experiments with liquid manure, especially as to loss of nitrogen during 

 storage, R.-K. Kristensen (Tidsskr. Lundhi: PlanteuvL 7'/ {1907), pp. 276-291, 

 figs. 7). — The experiments were conducted during 1906-7 largely according to 

 the plan followed during the prec-ediug year (E. S. R., 19, p. 218). The con- 

 tent of nitrogen and of ammonia was highest in the lowest portion of the liquid- 

 manure tank in these trials as in the tests of the preceding year, there being 

 a gradual increase from 0.197 per cent of nitrogen and $.172 per cent of 

 ammonia at 8.5 ft. from the bottom of the cistern, to 0.609 and 0.545 per cent 

 of nitrogen and ammonia, respectively, 0.5 ft. from the bottom, while the 



