The free use of fine dry loam, or the admix- 

 Methods of ture of such materials as kainit, acid phos- 



Preservation. jjhate, muriate of potash or land plaster, 

 or of a combination of some of these, will 

 effectively prevent loss of nitrogen. Loam alone must be used in 

 quantities so large as considerably to increase cost of handling. 

 Either kainit, muriate of potash or acid phosphate alone is effect- 

 ive but the mixture, especially with the first, holds the material too 

 moist for convenient handling Plaster is of less value as an 

 absorbent of ammonia and if largely used the mixture may form 

 hard, dry cakes. 



Dry sawdust has been successfully used with acid phosphate 

 and kainit by the Maine Experiment Station. In bulletin 216, 

 that Station recommends using with each 30 pounds of fresh 

 droppings (their estimate of the yearly amount of night drop- 

 pings from one hen) ; 



10 pounds sawdust, 

 16 pounds acid phosphate, 

 8 pounds kainit. 

 The writer recommends: 



1. Where poultry is kept upon a small scale and where fine 

 dry earth can be readily obtained that this be sprinkled in moder- 

 ate quantities on the dropping boards whenever the accumulation 

 is removed, which should be daily. To each 100 pounds of fresh 

 droppings add a mixture of chemicals as follows: 



(a) Where the material will be used as top-dressing for grass 

 lands or for lawns: 



Acid phosphate, 20 pounds, 

 Kainit, 15 pounds. 



(b) Where the mixture will be used for field crops such as 

 com or in the vegetable garden : 



Acid phosphate, 50 pounds, 



Kainit, 25 pounds. 



In either case sprinkle the mixture in proper proportion over 

 each lot of fresh material as it is added to the accumulating stock 

 and mix before use. 



Mixture (a) with 65 pounds of dry earth (estimated amount 

 needed) will weigh 200 pounds, and provided the droppings are 

 similar in composition to sample B-1, it should have about the 

 following composition: 



Nitrogen, 0.95 per cent. 



Phosphoric acid, 2.00 per cent. 



Potash, 1.14 per cent. 



This estimate does not make any allowance for the small 

 amount of plant-food found in the earth. One ton of this mix- 

 ture will supply plant-food about as follows. 



Nitrogen, 19 pounds. 



Phosphoric acid, 40 pounds. 



Potash, 23 pounds. 



Mixture (b) with 70 pounds of earth added gives a total weight 

 of 245 pounds. This will contain about: 



Nitrogen, 0.8 per cent. 



Phosphoric acid, 3.5 per cent. 



Potash, 1.5 per cent. 



