416 



MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



phate rock, plaster and dry earth are good materials for this pur- 

 pose. Hardwood ashes, ordinary slaked lime, and such alkaline 

 materials should be avoided, as they will liberate the ammonia, and 

 cause it to be lost. A hen will produce 30 to 40 pounds of manure 

 per year, and a turkey 40 to 60 pounds. 



Average Yield and Composition of Fresh Excrements of Farm 



Animals. 



The quality of manure is materially influenced by the age, 

 condition and uses made of the animal. An animal which is mak- 

 ing growth will yield a poorer manure than animals similarly fed 

 that have completed their growth, as the materials for forming 

 bone, muscle, blood, etc., must be extracted from the food. The 

 elements chiefly affected are the nitrogen and phosphoric acid. 

 Animals in poor condition, and being fed for the production of 

 flesh, leave considerable less nitrogen in the manure than those in 

 normal condition. Fattening animals produce a rich manure, as 

 they are at rest and storing almost exclusively fat, which uses very 

 little of the plant food elements. Animals that are bearing young, 

 or are producing milk, eggs or wool, utilize considerable nitrogen 

 and phosphates and some potash in their production, and the excre- 

 ments are poorer in plant foods to that extent. 



Miscellaneous Farm Manures. There are a variety of mate- 

 rials that may be available as manure on many farms, and it is well 

 for farmers to utilize them whenever possible. The ones most com- 

 monly met with are described below: 



Night-Soil and Poudrette. These are terms used to designate 

 human excrements. The name night-soil probably had its origin 

 from the fact that this material is usually handled in towns and 

 cities during the night. The term poudrette has been given to the 

 dried excrements which are manufactured in some places. In order 

 to use night-soil to any advantage, it is best to compost it with some 



