54 FIRST PRINCIPLES OF AGRICULTURE. 



it is secured. The manure from young animals is less 

 valuable than that made when the animals are full 

 grown. 



Manure made from fattening animals is richer than 

 that produced by dairy cows; animals fed upon hay and 

 straw furnish manure much less valuable than when the 

 cereal grains constitute a part of the ration. 



Manure Produced by Different Animals. Horse 

 manure is richer in nitrogen, contains less water, and is 

 less variable in composition than that obtained from cows. 

 The manure made from animals consuming rich food is 

 more liable to fermentation than that produced when 

 they are fed upon bulky fodders or watery feeds. 



Horse manure is called a " hot manure " because of 

 its tendency to hot fermentation; and is for this reason 

 particularly useful for hot-beds, and for forcing early 

 growth. Cow manure, on the other hand, is called a 

 " cold manure," because less liable to fermentation. Sheep 

 manure contains less water, and is richer in the fertiliz- 

 ing constituents than either horse or cow manure. Pig 

 manure, while quite as watery as cow manure, is richer 

 in nitrogen. 



Composition of Stable Manure. Manure from horse 

 stables in large cities also varies considerably in compo- 

 sition. It contains on the average seventy-five per cent, 

 or fifteen hundred pounds per ton, of water, and twenty- 

 five per cent, or five hundred pounds per ton, of dry 

 matter, which contains all of the manurial ingredients. 

 The water is of no particular value ; it simply increases 

 the cost of handling. The dry matter consists of from 

 ten to twelve per cent of ash, and from twelve to fif- 



