MIXED FERTILIZERS 



47 



of that eaten. A striking point is the great difference 

 between the mode of excretion of potassium and phosphorus 

 the potassium is almost entirely in the liquid portion, 

 and the phosphorus almost entirely in the solid portion. 



Taking the whole excreta together, the organic matter 

 corresponds to 46 per cent, of that eaten, the nitrogen from 

 70 to 95 per cent, of that eaten, and the potassium and 

 phosphorus from 95 to 98 per cent, of that eaten. It will 

 be noticed, therefore, that very little phosphorus and 

 potassium are actually removed and sold off the farm in 

 the form of meat. The loss of nitrogen by sale from the farm 

 is slightly greater, but under conditions of feeding livestock 

 very little of the manurial ingredients are sent away, and the 

 stock in hand of fertilizing elements is always very large. 

 The possible loss by drainage of the nitrogen can be made up 

 on the farm itself by other methods, as shown in Part II., 

 but the loss of potassium salts by drainage constitutes a 

 serious diminution in fertility of the soil. It can only be 

 replaced by purchases of potassium compounds. In India, 

 and other countries where cattle feeding is not carried out 

 systematically, but where bullocks are used for draft purposes 

 and not fattened for beef, little attention is paid to conserving 

 the manures from the animals. Very often the cattle dung 

 is not used as manure at all, but is used as fuel, mixed with 

 straw, or as a material for plastering walls, etc. Where it 

 is used as a manure it contains no litter or urine. 



TABLE 6. MANURE IN INDIA. 



Passage from Food to Dung. The history of the 

 nitrogen that is consumed by the live-stock on the farm is 

 shown in the following table : 



