HORSE-DUNG. 287 



It is almost useless to add, that great care must be taken not to in- 

 troduce too large a quantity of sulphate of iron, which might have 

 a prejudicial influence upon vegetation, into the dunghill or the 

 drainings from it. In making use of sulphate of lime there is noth- 

 ing to fear on this score ; this salt in excess would be rather favor- 

 able than hurtful ; in general, gypsum is certainly the preferable 

 substance, both on account of its never doing mischief, and of its 

 greatly inferior price.* 



Farmers generally advise horse-dung to be reserved for argilla- 

 ceous, deep, and moist soils ; this recommendation is given in con- 

 nection with the manure that is obtained by the usual imperfect pro- 

 cess of preparation. With regard to the horse-dung, prepared in the 

 manner which I have just described, and as practised by M. Schat- 

 tenmann, it is adapted to soils of all kinds ; and if it differs from 

 the dung of the cow-house, it is only by its superior quality. This 

 last fact is at once explained by the elementary analysis of the ex- 

 crements of a horse fed upon hay and oats. 



100 parts of the urine of the animal so fed, yielded 12.4 of dry 

 extract, the composition of which was as follows : 



■^ In the state of extract. In the liquid state. 



Carbon 36.0 4.46 



Hydrogen 3.8 0.47 



Oxygen 11.3 1.40 



Azote 12.5 1.55 



Salts 36.4 4.51 



Water • " 87.61 



100.0 100.00 



The droppings of the same horse after drying, gave 24.7 of fixed 

 matter, the analysis of which indicated : 



Dry excrement. Moist excrement. 



Carbon 38.7 9..56 



riydrogen 5.1 1.26 



Oxygen 37.7 9.31 



Azote 2.2 0.54 



Salts 16.3 4.02 



Water •... " 75.31 



100.0 100.00 



The dung of horned cattle is often extremely watery ; it is espe- 

 cially so when furnished by animals kept upon gieen food ; this ex- 

 treme humidity renders its preparation easy. Its equivalent number 

 is higher than that of horse-dung ; it is, in fact, less highly azotized, 

 and consequently less active. If the food have a great effect upon 

 the quality of the manure, it is quite certain that the circumstances 

 or slates of the cattle have an effect which is scarcely less remark- 

 able. Milch cows and cows in calf always furnish a manure that is 

 less highly azotized than stall-fed and laboring oxen ; and this is 

 readily understood : the azotized principles of the food are diverted 

 to secretions, which concur in the development of a new being in 

 the one case, in the production of milk in the other ; for the same 



* Every farmer who shonld have something like a cart or wagon-load of gypsum 

 brought to the farm every year would find his profit from the practice.— Eifo. E». 



