82 FARM MANURES, AND SIMILAR MATERIALS 



Sheep manure. 



Sheep manure is generally accumulated under the animals with 

 sufficient litter to keep the latter dry and clean. Under these condi- 

 tions, there is commonly no appreciable loss either of urine or of am- 

 monia because of excessive fermentation. The amount of urine voided 

 by sheep is relatively small, and the elements of value in sheep manure 

 ordinarily suffer less loss than is common in the case of other kinds of 

 farm manure. When sheep manure is finally removed from the pens 

 and put into loose piles, as is often the case, in order that it may be 

 worked into suitable mechanical condition to spread, it very rapidly 

 undergoes decomposition, and heats quickly. It is then likely to lose 

 a part of its nitrogen in the form of ammonia. To prevent this, it is 

 well to scatter kainit or land-plaster as the pile is built up. The aver- 

 age of four analyses of sheep manure made at the Massachusetts 

 Experiment Station showed it to contain : water, .2922 per cent ; 

 nitrogen, 1.44 per cent; phosphoric acid, .92 per cent; potash, 1.17 

 per cent. Sheep manure is now sometimes collected, dried, and ground, 

 and put on the market as sheep guano. In this form it is a concentrated 

 manure, especially valuable for dressing lawns, for use in hothouses, 

 and like purposes. 



Hog manure. 



The manure made from swine undoubtedly varies more widely 

 than that from the other domestic animals, because of the wider varia- 

 tions in the nature of their food and the conditions under which they 

 are kept. The excrements of swine on most farms are not kept by 

 themselves but are mixed with other manures, and this in general 

 would seem to be the better system of management. Hog manure, 

 if kept by itself, is relatively watery, and is usually poor in nitrogen and 

 rich in phosphoric acid. It decomposes slowly, and must be ranked 

 as a cold manure. 



Comparison of Manure from Different Animals (Brooks) 



Having made separate statements on the qualities and character- 

 istics of the manure from cattle, horses, sheep, and swine, we may 

 now compare these manures in tabular form : 



