MANURE. 145 



But though horse-dung is considered as a hotter manure 

 than cow-dung, this is true of horse-dung only in its fresh 

 state. Fermented horse-manure is really of less value than 

 cow-dung. This is the voice of experience. Thrown out 

 with the litter, and moistened as it is with little urine, com- 

 pared with that of cattle dung from the barn, it rapidly fer- 

 ments and decays. By the time horse-manure has ferment- 

 ed, so as to be converted into a uniform mass of muck, it 

 loses, at least, nine-tenths of its weight, and nearly two-thirds 

 of its nitrogen has disappeared. Hence, without care, horse- 

 dung rapidly loses its value. Now this quick heating is 

 owing to the ready decomposition of the dry droppings; 

 and if these are kept properly moistened, a manure is pro- 

 duced when the horse-dung is half-rotted, which is fully 

 equal to cow-manure. It has ever required much manage- 

 ment to get good yard-manure from horse-stables. The pile 

 should be broad, well trodden down, and kept constantly 

 moist with water. Each layer, as it is formed, should be 

 sprinkled with a little ground plaster. 



All the water which drains from the heap should run into 

 a pit and be mixed with a little plaster, and returned upon 

 the pile. 



In the course of two or three months, a rich pasty manure 

 may be thus formed, equal to the best farm-yard manure 

 from cattle. 



The evacuations of cattle and horses are usually mixed in 

 the farm-yard. These, with the litter, form yard-manure. 

 The nature of the litter, fermentation and age affect the 

 quality and quantity of yard-manure. This causes its 

 practical division into long and short, or strawy and fat 

 muck. 



Age reduces the quantity of fresh manure nearly as fol- 

 lows. It has been found by one observer, that, 

 7 



