MANUAL FOR SUGAR GROWERS. 63 



West Indies there is some risk of loss of am- 

 monia, and this condition is recognized by a strong 

 smell coming from the heap. This may be cor- 

 rected by adding more litter and covering with soil. 

 The addition of soil to the pen from time to time is 

 to be recommended, as soil is a useful agent in fix- 

 ing ammonia. 



The food upon which the animals are fed has a 

 great influence on the value of the manure ; indeed, 

 in purchasing food -stuffs the farmer also largely 

 takes into consideration the value of the resulting 

 manures, and may be said to purchase his artificial 

 manures in the form of food-stuff. This method of 

 working is economical where cattle are raised for 

 the sake of their milk or for the market, and the 

 manure is carefully preserved, but becomes less eco- 

 nomical in the case of sugar estates where cattle are 

 used for draught purposes, with some necessary loss 

 of manure, and where the system of keeping the ma- 

 nure is faulty. The sugar plantation too, if well 

 worked, will provide all, or nearly all, the food re- 

 quired for its stock, and thus the importation of 

 concentrated chemical manures becomes the most 

 economical method of working. The following table, 

 composed by Sir J. B. Lawes and Dr. Gilbert in 

 1885, gives the theoretical value of manure pro- 

 duced from the consumption of one ton of certain 

 foods : 



Linseed cake 3 18 6 



Cotton cake 3 8 8 



Beans 335 



Peas.. 320 



