90 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
moss used, or effecting a drying of the manure, nor has it ever been 
possible to produce direct in any closet an inoffensive artificial manure 
containing fertilizing constituents of a very high value. Further- 
more in carrying out the peat dust or “torfstreu” system in Ger- 
many, the weight of absorbent used sometimes equals that of the 
refuse with which it is mixed, and it is never less than 1 lb. of 
absorbent to 5 lbs. of mixed excreta. By the system which I have 
practised of using the moss manure over and over again until satu- 
rated, the quantity of absorbent used forms only a small part, not 
more than one-twentieth of the resulting manure. 
I may now make mention of the actual results of operating the 
closet in the manner above described, on my own premises in Ottawa. 
The closet was erected last fall, and has since been in continuous use 
by myself and other persons. 10 lbs. of dry moss from the Welland 
marsh were placed in its hoppers on the 11th November, 1900, and 
the mixing, spreading and re-using continued until the 8th May, 
1901, when the product was carefully mixed and sampled. It was 
found to contain: — 



Lbs. fertilizing 
Per cent. | constituents in ue 
2000 Ibs. Se 
Moïsture ire NE LE SAR Er I | 60°60) AL RER RARE Bde ee eee 
Organic substances) "7": 32 LOT LR AE NS EARS MAR din Goi oie 6 
Containing 1°75 total Nitrogen ....... Se ene CONNUE 35 at 13c. $4.55 
Ash. iesmenetrees ee Poe Corne e ir: Wied Eee ETL re uueeanlee ROLE 
Containing 0°71 of Phosphoric Acid...|............ 14°2 at 5c. 0.71 
ss 0200 Potash em men Le 2) seer 4 at 5ic. 0.21 
100°00 $5.47 


This product has a value of $5.47 per 2,000 lbs., calculating the 
fertilizing constituents at the same prices per lb. as in agricultural 
fertilizers. This is a very encouraging result, for fresh barn-yard 
manure usually contains about 67 per cent of water and has a value 
of only $2.25 per ton of 2,000 Ibs. Moss manure, as produced in 
Germany, with 83 per cent water, is worth $2.37 per 2,000 Ibs. 
The same manure produced by the method I employ is, there- 
fore, worth more than double that obtained with the use of 
movable pails. It is easy to perceive from the way in which 
the moss manure becomes lighter in colour on the surface, that 
it loses water very rapidly. I ascertained this loss to be 9-6 per 
