86 FARM MANURES, AND SIMILAR MATERIALS 



about the quantity of manure that will be made from a given number of 

 animals. For a beginner, some rule whereby the amount to be made 

 can be estimated with reasonable accuracy will be useful. As the 

 result of careful experiments, German investigators give the following 

 rules to determine the quantity of manure that will be made : Multiply 

 the dry matter in the food consumed by the different classes of farm 

 animals by the following factors : for the horse, by 2.1 ; for the cow, by 

 3.8 ; for the sheep, by 1.8. To the product, in any case, add the weight 

 of the bedding used. The horse of average size consumes daily about 

 24 Ib. of dry matter, and makes, therefore, 2.1 times 24 lb., or 50 lb., of 

 manure daily. The cow of average size consumes daily about 25 lb. 

 of dry matter, and makes 3.8 times 25 lb., or 95 lb., of manure daily. 

 A 125-lb. sheep consumes about 3 lb. of dry matter daily, and makes 

 1.8 times 3 lb., or 5.4 lb., of manure daily. 



Use of manures 



A thousand pounds of wheat, 16 bu., and 2000 lb. of straw (an 

 average crop per acre) require 27 lb. of nitrogen, 12.4 lb. of phosphoric 

 acid, 17.9 lb. of potash. Ten tons of fresh unrotted manure from 

 horses and cattle fed a moderate grain ration contain 136 lb. of nitrogen, 

 44 lb. of phosphoric acid, 120 lb. of potash. In farm practice it is esti- 

 mated that the first crop grown after manuring may utilize, under 

 favorable conditions, one-half of the plant-food contained in the manure 

 applied. The plant-food available in ten tons of good fresh manure is : 

 nitrogen 68 lb., phosphoric acid, 22 lb., potash, 60 lb. Thirty bushels 

 of wheat and 2600 lb. of straw require, approximately, 46 lb. of nitro- 

 gen, 21 lb. of phosphoric acid, and 27 lb. of potash (Roberts). 



Manures are frequently wasted by being applied too liberally. It 

 is not economical, except for special crops or special conditions, to 

 apply as much as thirty to forty two-horse loads or tons per acre at one 

 time. For usual farm purposes, ten to twenty tons, or ten to twenty 

 two-horse loads, is a liberal application per acre. It is best to apply it 

 as it is made, if the land is not in a growing crop. The manure 

 should be spread directly from the wagon, or a manure-spreader be used. 



Commercial value (Roberts). 



The value of manure in the following tables is determined by in- 

 vestigation during the winter months, and the nitrogen, phosphoric 



