X>o I-:U)PIIA.\ AGRICULTURE. 



The result is that while there is an increase in the available 

 plant food on the one hand, yet on the other, changes 

 take place which are liable to cause a loss of valuable 

 nitrogen. The organic matter of the solid excrement, 

 that is to say, undergoes a slow change which renders its 

 ingredients more available to the plant, while the urine 

 ferments while still under the animals and gives rise to 

 ammonia compounds, some of which are very liable to be 

 lost. The chief result then of decay is that the organic 

 matter is largely oxidised, the carbon is burnt away, the 

 percentage of valuable ingredients concentrated, while in 

 this country there is a considerable loss of water. 



As regards the comparative values of fresh and old 

 manures, the latter is weight for weight the more valuable. 

 In Europe although rotten manure contains more water, 

 yet the loss of organic matter not containing nitrogen, 

 more than balances the gain, the net result being a con- 

 centration and an increase in value owing to the forms in 

 which the valuable ingredients are present being more so- 

 luble and hence more available. In Egypt, however, there 

 is on the other hand a loss instead of a gain in water and 

 this would tend to render the difference more pronounced. 

 The question of the relative value of fresh and old manure 

 is, however, a complicated one, for we have to consider 

 the loss which must inevitably take place during storage. 

 Whjit this may be depends in the first place on the manner 

 in which it has been stored. By taking precautions it may 

 be reduced to a minimum, while under careless treatment, 

 it may amount in the case of nitrogen which is the most 

 valuable ingredient to a very considerable proportion of 

 the whole. 



