MANURES. ^ 



In practice it is frequently noticed that manures such 

 MS the above often produce much better results than might 

 be expected from their chemical composition. This is very 

 probably due to their exercising a stimulating effect on 

 the soil bacteria which, as is well known, play an important 

 parr in rendering soil fertile. Besides this it must also be 

 borne in mind that there will be a considerable amount 

 of useful material left for a second crop and that in course 

 of time all the nitrogen, and nearly all the phosphoric 

 acid will become available. 



Ostrich guano. During the past two or three years 

 this manure has been placed on the market by " La Societe 

 flu Pare des Autruches de Matarieh," which owns about 

 1 000 birds. Its average composition is as follows : 



COMPOSITION <>F OSTRICH GUANO. 



N it rogon 4 1 * 50 % 



Phosphoric acid 1"60# 



Potash 0*43^ 



The price at which it is sold is 100 P.T. per ton. 



Bone black. Small quantities of this phosphatic manure 

 are placed on the market in Egypt. Bone black, or as it 

 is sometimes called "Bone charcoal 7 ' or "Bone char,'' is 

 produced in enormous quantities for employment in the 

 process of sugar refining. When the bones are heated in 

 a closed retort, instead of burning to white ashes as they 

 would were there a free access of air, they undergo 

 destructive distillation and the resulting product contains a 

 considerable percentage (about 10^) of carbon. After 



