MANURE 



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from farm animals is approximately as follows, though con- 

 siderable variations occur : 



PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF EXCREMENTS. 



Poultry excrement, when fresh, contains about I per cent, 

 nitrogen, 0.8 per cent, phosphoric acid, and 0.4 per cent, potash. 

 The results of an experiment made at the Pennsylvania Experi- 

 ment Station, to ascertain the distribution of the fertilizing in- 

 gredients among the solid manure, the liquid manure, and the 

 milk or increase in weight, are as follows : 



Loss of urine therefore involves the loss of 50 per cent, of the 

 nitrogen fed, and about 75 per cent, of the potash. 



Influence of Age and Kind of Animal. An animal which is 

 not gaining flesh, producing milk, or laying eggs, etc., will excrete 

 practically all the potash, phosphoric acid, and nitrogen eaten. 

 These ingredients are taken in with the food, used, and are ex- 

 creted in the waste products. If no flesh, etc., is produced, the 

 outgo and income must be equal. A young growing animal retains 

 in the bones, flesh, etc., a portion of the fertilizing materials fed to 

 it. Animals producing milk, laying eggs, etc., utilize some of the 

 phosphoric acid, and nitrogen in these products. 

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