212 THE CHEMISTRY OF THE FARM 



MANUKIAL CONSTITUENTS IN 100 PARTS OF LITTER. 



Miintz and Girard saturated different litters with a 

 solution of carbonate of ammonium, and then allowed 

 them to dry in the air. For 10 of ammonia retained 

 by pine sawdust, 37 were retained by the same weight 

 of wheat straw, 183 by peat moss, and 240 by pow- 

 dered peat. These figures do not represent the rela- 

 tive retaining powers when wet, asunder this condition 

 the amount of water held by the htter would have 

 great influence. Peat and peat moss are clearly 

 the most efficient absorbents ; they decompose, how- 

 ever, but slowly in the soil. 



Composition of Manure. — In the case of an adult 

 animal, neither gaining nor losing weight — a working 

 horse, for instance — the quantity of nitrogen and ash 

 constituents voided in the manure will be nearly the 

 same as that contained in the food consumed, the 

 albuminoids and ash constituents of the food used for 

 the renovation of tissue being, in this case, equivalent 

 to the quantities yielded by the degradation of tissue. 

 In cases where the animal is increasing in size, is 



