63G On Liquid Manure. 



Composition of Clear Liquid Manure from Tiptree Hall Farm. 



* Water and ammonia driven out on boiling ,. .. 69,970'81 



f Organic matters 7' 70 



Mineral siibstances 21'49 



Consisting of — 



Soluble silica 1'68 



Insoluble si licious matter (fine clay) .. .. *76 



Lime 4-43 



Magnesia 1'78 



Potash 1-31 



Chloride of potassium 1"10 



Chloride of sodium 5"46 



riiosphoric acid 2"3G 



Sulphuric acid 215 



Carbonic acid and loss '45 



70,000-00 



* Containing ammonia 3* 36 



f Containing nitrogeu '52 



Equal to anunonia "63 



Total quantity of nitrogen per gallon . . . . 3-29 



Equal to ammonia 3*99 



I have also deterinined the specific gravity of this liquid, 

 and found it to be at 62° Fahr. := I'OOOB, or scarcely differing 

 in specific gravity from that of pure water. 



The small amount of fertilising matter in the clear tank-liquid 

 from Tiptree Hall renders it probable that little benefit will 

 result from its application except in very large and repeated 

 doses. There are many drinking waters in daily use which 

 contain more solid substances in solution than Mr. Mechi's 

 tank-liquid. Thus, for instance, Cirencester pump-water con- 

 tains between 40 and 48 grains of solid matters in the imperial 

 gallon ; and in a well situated in a badly-drained part of Ciren- 

 cester I have lately found as much as 97-54 grains of solid 

 matters in the gallon, or more than tliree times the amount pre- 

 sent in Mr. Mechi's clear liquid manure. There is, however, 

 a marked difference between ordinary waters and the tank-liquid 

 from Tiptree Hall : the former, even when contaminated, like the 

 Cirencester water, with the sewage of towns, contain but little 

 organic matter and mere traces of ammonia, whilst the latter held 

 in solution a good deal of organic matter as well as salts of 

 ammonia. 



Small as the intrinsic fertilising value of the liquid m.-^nure 

 from Tiptree Hall is, Mr. Mechi yet informs us that it produces 

 a marvellous effect on his farm. This would seem to indicate 

 that, if the improvement in the productive powers of Mr. Mechi's 

 land is really to be attributed to the application of liquid 

 manure, a very small quantity of fertilising matters, distributed 

 uniformly in a state in which they can be absorbed at once by 



