SECTION IV. MISCELLANEOUS ANIMAL 

 PROTEINS 



THE excreta of animals include animal proteins of great 

 importance to agriculture and horticulture, forming the 

 staple supplies of manure. The manure of animals should 

 contain not only the solid waste material and undigested 

 food, but also the urine, which contains much nitrogen, 

 and hence makes considerable difference to the value of the 

 product as a fertilizer. If the animals are fed on rich foods, 

 the manure obtained is correspondingly richer, especially 

 in its protein content. 



The value of dung manures depends not merely upon 

 the protein content, but also upon its content of phosphate 

 and potash, as well as other organic matter. The protein 

 breaks down into simpler nitrogenous compounds, and 

 eventually, through ammonium carbonate, it becomes 

 nitrate. Nitrogenous manures darken leaves and increase 

 growth considerably. Dung manures are deficient in 

 phosphates and potash and are of value partly as nitrogenous 

 manures producing growth, and partly as dressings of organic 

 matter for soil. From both points of view it is desirable 

 that the manure should be well decayed. Fresh dung 

 manures are both wasteful and injurious to soil, except 

 perhaps to very stiff clays. They are wasteful inasmuch as 

 much ammonia escapes, and injurious inasmuch as they 

 cause the " denitrification " of the valuable nitrates already 

 in the soil. When possible dung manures should be kept 

 under cover. Free exposure to air and rain will sometimes 

 reduce its value by one half. It should be stored until 

 " sweet," and until the straw has rotted and become 

 " short." This takes usually several months. A ton of 



