59G KErOKT OF THE COMMlSSlONEll OF AGKlCULTUliE. 



Of 100 pounds of miueral matter iu the food there is found in the 

 excrements : 



To the mineral matter in the water drank by the animals is due the 

 excess ol" miueral matter over 100 imunds. 



Of 100 pounds of nitrogen iu the food there is found in the excrc- 

 meuts : 



The table shows at a glance what a small proportion of the most im- 

 ])ortaut ingredient, nitrogen, is retained by the different animals, and 

 therefore how valuable the manure of his domestic animals must be to 

 the farmer generally, when fed on material so rich as cotton-seed meal, 

 sheep extracting only 1 iu every 22 i)ouuds. The percentages of nitro- 

 gen thus taken up by the cow, ox, sheep, and horse are, respectively, 

 ^G.2, lO.'l, 4.5, and 16.6. But cotton seed not only produces the most 

 valuable animal manure; it is itself one of the most excellent fertiliz- 

 ers in existence. The merchantable meal of the oil-mills may be used 

 to adv.nntage by the truck fiirmers in the vicinity of cities to supple- 

 ment their stable manure instead of Peruvian guano. As a soluble am- 

 moniacal fertilizer for this purpose, in quantity sufticient to cllect the 

 same result, cotton-seed meal is much cheaiier than Peruvian guano at 

 [)resent prices and of present quality. 



Truck farmers remote from a sufficient supply of stable manure, and 

 without enough stock, can provide themselves with the best possible 

 substitute by composting cotton-seed meal with muck, v>'oods, earth, or 

 any other vegetable matter. An addition of acid phosphate and kainit 

 mny sometimes be advisable. 



Finally, if the soil be sufhcieutly supplied with decaying vegetable 

 matter by the use of muck, &c., or the practice of green manuring, cot- 

 ton-seed meal maybe profitably used alone, or in conjunction with acid 

 phosphate of lime and kainit in the proportions (as advised by Professor 

 White, the able State chemist) of meal, 500 pounds ; phosphate of lime, 

 1,250 pounds ; kainit, 250 pounds. If, however, applietl in the drill in 

 its fresh state in any considerable quantity sufficient time should elapse 

 for the most active process of decomposition to have i^assed before either 

 seed are sown or plants put out, or injury will surelyensue, if the former 

 with its radicle, or the roots of the latter, come in contact with the fer- 

 menting fertilizer. The same caution should be observed in case of fish 

 scrap or any such organic ammoniacal manure. 



Under no circumstances should the whole seed, whether green or dead, 

 whether fresh or fermented, be used as a fertilizer by any intelligent 



