240 EGYPTIAN AGJU CULTURE. 



From this it is gathered that the solid excrement of the 

 sheep is much richer in nitrogen, phosphoric acid and 

 potash than that of cows, Avhile that of the horse is 

 intermediate. The above figures refer to animals fed chiefly 

 on dry food, a condition which prevails in Egypt during 

 the summer and autumn months when the manure heap is 

 largely made. During the winter and spring, animals are 



o tl O 1 O ' 



fed almost entirely on berseem in the field and their 

 excrement is thus returned almost directly to the soil. 

 It must be borne in mind, however, when considering the 

 values of the manures of the various animals, that the 

 quantity voided by one class of animal is much greater 

 than that by another class, and that the bovine tribe 

 compensates for the poorness of its excrement by the 

 greater quantity voided. It is seen from the analyses 

 given that the quantity of water contained in the manure 

 varies with the kind of animal producing it, that of the 

 bullock and buffalo being more watery than in the case 

 of the horse and sheep. Buffalo and bullock excrements, 

 when fed on berseem, contain respectively 87 and &^% 

 of water while those of the horse and sheep contain 77 ' %. 

 When fed on dry food the percentage diminishes. For 

 example with beans, tibn and cake the excrements of buf- 

 falo and bullock fall to 83 and $0% respectively. That 

 of the horse fed on tibn and barley has 73% of water. 



The figures given are borne out by practical experience 

 in Egypt where the cultivator is well aware of the fact 

 that sheep manure is weight for weight the most valuable, 

 that of horses and mules being intermediate while that of 

 bullocks and buffaloes is poorest. 



