CHAPTER V 



FARM MANURE 



165. Variable Composition of Farm Manures. 



The term farm manure does not designate a prod- 

 uct of definite composition. Manure is the most 

 variable in chemical composition of any of the mate- 

 rials produced on the farm. It may contain a large 

 amount of straw, in which case it is called coarse ma- 

 nure ; or it may contain only the solid excrements and 

 a little straw, the liquid excrements being lost by 

 leaching ; then again it may consist of the droppings 

 of poorly fed animals, or of the mixed excrements of 

 different classes of well-fed animals. 



The term stable manure has been proposed for 

 that product which contains all of the solid and liquid 

 excrements with the necessary absorbent, before any 

 losses have been sustained. 16 The term barnyard 

 manure is restricted to that material which accumu- 

 lates around some barns and farm yards, and is ex- 

 posed to leaching rains and the drying action of the 

 sun. 



1 66. Average Composition of Manures. The solid 

 excrements of animals contain from 60 to 85 per cent, 

 of water ; when mixed with straw, and the liquid ex- 

 crements are retained, the mixed manure contains 

 about 75 per cent, of water. The nitrogen varies 

 from 0.4 to 0.9 per cent., according to the nature of 

 the food and the extent to which other factors have 



