1/8 



Fertilisers [pt. hi 



Table XI. Comj^osition of liquid manure 



The general experience of farmers and direct field 

 experiments in Scotland and Ireland have demonstrated 

 its fertilising value^. 



Effect of the manure. Practical men distinguish be- 

 tween "long" manure which has suffered only little 

 decomposition, and retains its straw in the original long 

 state, and "short" manure, where decomposition has 

 proceeded so far that much of the straw has disinte- 

 grated to form a black buttery mass. The "short" 

 manure is often richer in composition than the "long" 

 manure, but it is more costly to produce because as 

 much as two tons of fresh manure may be needed to 

 make a ton of short manure, while the same quantity 

 of material would yield 35 cwt. or more of long manure. 

 For this reason long manure is most in favour on the 

 farm, where costs have to be considered, wliile short 

 manure is preferred in the garden. 



Long manure acts best when it can be applied in 

 autumn. The undecomposed straw is of special advan- 

 tage on a heavy soil since the straw helps to keep the 



^ Hendrick, N. of Scotland Coll. of Agric. Bull. No. 19, 1915; Journ. 

 Irish Dept. of Agric. xiii. 251. For an illustration of the use of hquid 

 manure on the large scale see the account of Miss Coat's fai'm in Country 

 Jjife. 



