AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 31 7 



Analysis of horse-dung*, in Rhode Island, (Jackson.) 500 

 grains, dried at a heat a little above that of boiling water, lost 

 357 grains of water. The dry mass weighing 143 grains was 

 burned, and left 8.5 grains of ashes, of which 4.80 grains were 

 soluble in dilute nitric acid, and 3.20 insoluble. 



Water, - 357 



Vegetable fibre and animal matter, - - 135 



Silica, 3.2 



Phosphate of lime, - 0.4 



Carbonate of lime, - 1.5 



Phosphate of magnesia and soda, - - 2.9 



500.0 



Horse-dung, in consequence of the smaller proportion of 

 water, and more ammonia, ferments, or &quot; heats,&quot; more rapidly 

 than the solid excrement of the cow; the ammonia being 

 evolved and lost ; and in this mode it may be rapidly deterio 

 rated. 



693. The dung of sheep and of fattening hogs is richer in 

 nitrogen than either of the above, and consequently ferments 

 and acts more rapidly. 



Boussingault found the following proportions : 



Sheep. Hogs. 



Recent 



&quot;Water, - 63.0 



Kitrogen, - - 1.1] 



Dry Rpcenf 



81 



2.99 0.63 



Dry 

 3.37 



Ash - - 12.7 



694. Dung of birds (Fowls, Pigeons, &c,) being mixed with 

 urine, is still richer. In Belgium the dung yearly produced by 

 100 pigeons is valued at 85.00. Its immediate effect depends 

 upon the quantity of soluble matter it contains, and this varies 

 much according to its age, the mode in which it is preserved, &c. 

 Thus Davy and Sprengel obtained respectively, of 



Recent, Six months old. After fermentation. 



23 per cent 16 per cent 8 per ce.t. 

 The soluble matter consists of uric acid, urate, sulphate and 



