462 URINE OF THE COW — ITS VALUE. 



Carbon 20-0 per cent. I Nitrogen 46-7 per cent. 



Hydrogen 6-6 " | Oxygen. . .* 26-7 " 



100 



It is, therefore, far richer in nitrogen than flesh, blood, or any of 

 Ihose other richly fertiUzing substances, of which the main efficacy is 

 supposed to depend upon the large proportion of nitrogen they contain. 



But urea possesses this further remarkable property, that when 

 urine begins to ferment, — as it is known to do in a few days after it is 

 voided — it changes entirely into carbonate of ammonia.* Of the am- 

 monia thus formed a portion soon begins to escape into the air, and 

 hence the strong ammoniacal odour of fermenting urine. This escape 

 of ammonia continues for a long period, the liquid becoming weaker 

 and weaker, and consequently less valuable as a manure every day 

 that passes. Experience has shown that recent urine exercises in gen- 

 eral an unfavorable action upon growing plants, and that it acts 

 most beneficially after fermentation has freely begun, but the longer 

 time we suffer to elapse after it has reached the ripe state, the great- 

 er the quantity of valuable manure we permit to go to waste. 



2°. The urine of the cow hsi^ heen analysed in several states by 

 Sprengel, with the following results in 1000 parts : — 



Allowed to ferment for four weeks 

 Fresh. in the open air. 



A. B. 



Water 926-2 954-4 934-8 



Urea 40-0 10-0 6-0 



Mucus 20 0-4 0-3 



Hippuric and lactic acids. .. 6-1 7-5 6-2 



Carbonic acid 2-1 1-7 15-3 



Ammonia 2-1 4-9 16-2 



Potash 6-6 6-6 6-6 



Soda 5-5 5-5 5-6 



Sulphuric acid 4-0 3-9 3-3 



Phosphoric acid 0-7 0-3 1-5 



Chlorine 2-7 2-7 -2-7 



Lime 6 trace trace 



Magnesia 0-4 0-3 0-4 



Alumina, oxide of iron, and 



oxide of manganese 0*1 trace — 



Silica 0-4 0.1 0-1 



1000 998-2 999-Ot 



The first variety of fermented urine (A.), had stood four weeks in 

 the air in its natural state of dilution ; the second (B.), had been mix- 

 ed while recent with an equal bulk of water— which is again deducted 



• This takes place by the decomposition at the same time of two atoms of the water In 

 which it is dissolved. Thus urea is represented by Ca H4 Ns Oa ; two of water by 2H O : 

 and carbonate of ammonia by N Ha + C O2 ; and the change is thus shown— 



2 of 2 of 



Urea. Water. Carbonate of Ammonia. 



C2 H4 Na 02 + 2 H = 2 (N H3 -H C O2) 

 tThe small quantity necessary to make up the 1000 parts in the two latter analyses con- 

 sisted of a deposit of carbonate and phosphate of lime and other earthy matters which 

 had gradually been formed, and of a trace of vinegar aod of sulphuretted hydioeen.- 

 Bprengel, Lehre vom Dilnger, pp. 107 to 110. 



