510 



The 



Storage of Farmyard Manure 



The effect of compacting is shown in the following table of maximum 

 temperatures attained in the various heaps : 



Stored for 3 



months under 



cover 



Heaps re-made 



and then stored 



for a further 



3 months 



Stored for 3 

 months in open 



Cow manure, 



Jan. 23— April 30, 1914 



Bullock manure, 



Jan. 7— April 14, 1915 



Compact Loose 

 Compact Loose covered covered Compact Loose 

 go jgo 22° 32° — 21° 



51° 



71° — 



40° 



55° 



This difference in heat production obviously involves a considerable 

 difference in the amount of dry matter decomposed, the loose heaps 

 suffering greater loss than the compact ones. The percentage losses 

 of dry matter were : 



Stored for 3 



months under 



cover 



Re-made and then 



left stored for 



a further 3 



months 



Stored for 3 

 months in open 



Cow manure, 



Jan.— April, 1914 



Bullock manure, 

 Jan.— April, 1915 



Compact Loose Compact Loose Compact Loose 



9 



26 



30 



35 



39 



21 



41 



The losses in dry matter from heaps stored under similar conditions 

 show some connection with the rise in temperature. But there is a 

 difference between the exposed and sheltered heaps: the exposed 

 heaps lose more dry matter than the covered heaps, and do not attain 

 so high a temperature. The smallest change takes place in the heaps 

 stored compact and under cover, and the greatest in heaps loose and 

 exposed to the weather. 



The dry matter of the heap is very complex in composition, and 

 we have not attempted to follow the changes in all its constituents ; 

 we have confined ourselves to the nitrogen compounds because of their 

 obvious importance. Further, we have not gone into the question of 

 condition of the manure. We fully recognise its importance, but 

 methods of investigation are lacking and for the present the safest plan 

 is to accumulate observations. It has been noticed by Voelcker^ that 

 the addition of hay to a ration of straw, roots and cake much improved 

 the condition of the dung. Further observations in this direction are 

 very desirable. 



1 Journ. Roy. Ag. Snr. 1913, 74, 410. 



