Litter 



but in spite of that it is still the manure chiefly 

 used. 



In principle it ought to be composed of animal 

 droppings both solid and liquid as well as of litter. 

 But, as we have seen, a great portion of the ferti- 

 lising matter is only partly preserved or altogether 

 lost. The solid droppings contain the portions of 

 food not consumed and inassimilable, or unassimi- 

 lated. These contain nearly the whole of the salts 

 of lime and magnesia, the phosphates, and the nitro- 

 genous organic matter which is difficult to digest. 



The salts of lime and magnesia and the unas- 

 similable phosphates are not subjected to any loss, 

 but the nitrogenous organic matters under the action 

 of moulds and ferments may lose their nitrogen to a 

 greater or less extent; according to the conditions and 

 to the organic combinations in which they exist, or 

 the stage of decomposition which the manure reaches. 



Liquid excrements, as we have also seen, usually 

 contain very little lime or phosphoric acid ; but, on 

 the other hand, present nearly the whole of the 

 potash contained in the food and the greater portion 

 of the nitrogenous matter. The potash being in a 

 soluble form is subject to loss in the drains ; and the 

 nitrogenous organic matter being present in the 

 form of urea and hippuric acid is easily transformed 

 into carbonate of ammonia, decomposing into 

 ammonia and carbonic anhydride, which escape into 

 the air and represent a total loss. 



Litter. 



Litter only gives to the manure the fertilising 

 matters which it contains ; thus a poor litter such 



93 



