[94] 



passed through the stomach of a sheep. Both the urine and 

 dung are very rich in fertilizing properties. Urea, the ac- 

 tive principle of urine, has a large quantity of nitrogen in 

 it, and sheep's urine contains, according to one of our best 

 analysts, 28 parts of urea in every 1,000 parts, and 12 parts 

 of salts, among which is a large proportion of phosphoric 

 acid. In one hundred parts of the dung of sheep there are 

 68 per cent, of water, 19.3 of animal and vegetable matter, 

 and 12.7 per cent, of saline matters. This 19.3 per cent, of 

 organic matter contains as much nitrogen, which is the value 

 of manure's chiefly, as 43 parts of horse dung, 63 parts of 

 hog manure, or 125 parts of cow dung, and is equal to 

 100 parts of the ordinary stable or barnyard manure. It is 

 much drier than other manures, having but little water, 

 comparatively speaking. For instance, let a horse receive 

 100 parts of dry fodder, and he will defecate 216 pounds of 

 fresh manure, which being dried, makes 46 pounds of dry 

 manure, while the sheep with the same food would give but 

 128 pounds of fresh manure, making 43 pounds of dried. 

 This is manure made with the ordinary method of feeding, 

 such as hay, fodder, and such grass as they can pick up. 

 But when sheep are fed with grain or other highly stimu- 

 lating food for fattening purposes, with food rich in albu- 

 men and phosphates, the oil and starch only are assimilated 

 and go to the formation of fat arid flesh, while the re- 

 mainder, including the larger part of the salts, goes to the 

 manure heap, thus adding very greatly to its value as a land 

 application. This fact has long been known and used to 

 the improvement of land by the English farmer, and must 

 be learned and practiced by our people. The declining fer- 

 tility of our soils calls loudly for all the aid we can give it, 

 and it is time to recognize the fact that if we continue to 

 draw from the land, and never put anything to it, it will 

 after awhile cease to respond to our calls upon it. 



We dislike to repeat, but with the danger of being charged 

 with too much repetition, we must once again call attention 



