24G Farmyard Manure. 



It will be observed that this manure contained, on the 30th of 

 April, 14 per cent, more Avater than when first spread out in the 

 yard. The fact was, that a day before it was analysed and 

 Aveiohed, a good deal of rain had fallen, which of course tho- 

 roughly drenched the manure spread about in the yard, whilst it 

 did not thoroughly saturate with moisture the experimental heap 

 No. I. There is thus less moisture in the heap No. I. than in 

 the manure spread out. 



By the 23rd of August a great deal of moisture had evapo- 

 rated, and on the 15th of November very nearly the same pro- 

 portion of moisture was found which the manure originally con- 

 tained. We can therefore compare the first with the last analysis 

 without committing any great error, and shall find, on such a 

 comparison, the following interesting particulars: — 



1. At the end of the experiment the manure contained, instead 

 of 2i per cent., not quite i per cent, of soluble organic matters. 



2. The insoluble organic matters in tlie course of the year 

 became reduced from 25*7 per cent, to 10 per cent. 



3. The soluble nitrogenized constituents appear to have been 

 washed out almost completely, since at the conclusion of the 

 experiment the manure contained only "03 per cent., or a mere 

 trace of nitrogen. 



4. The total percentage of nitrogen in the manure has become 

 considerably diminished in the manure analysed in November, 

 1855. 



The fertilizing value of the manure spread out in an open yard 

 thus became deteriorated by keeping far more considerably than 

 any other of the experimental heaps. 



Before offering any further remarks on the experiments with 

 this manure, a Table (p. 247) stating the composition of the 

 manure in a dry state may find here a convenient place. 



The analytical data incorporated in this Table are extremely 

 interesting and practically important, inasmuch as they show to 

 what extent farmyard manure may become deteriorated in value 

 by slovenly practice, and how rapidly the most valuable fer- 

 tilizing constituents are removed by the rain which falls upon 

 the manure. 



It will be perceived that the loss in valuable substances is 

 especially great in the warmer months of the year, but I believe 

 it is not so much due to the more elevated temperature that the 

 manure becomes deteriorated, as to the heavy showers of rain 

 which fall in the summer months. 



On comparing the amount of the different constituents of the 

 manure in the various experimental periods, it will be observed 

 that all the manuring constituents, with the exception of the' in- 

 soluble mineral matters, rapidly diminish, so that at last but a 



