LITTER 259 



digested and absorbed, but which has also been utilized, 

 broken down, and eliminated. x\ll of the material is soluble 

 and is quickly made available. Decomposition to inorganic 

 forms of plant food is rapid. Table XIV also shows the 

 relative amounts of liquid excrement. 



196. Litter. — By litter is meant the plant residues or 

 other materials used in stalls as bedding for animals and 

 which becomes mixed with excrement. As a part of farm 

 manure litter serves important functions, such as the ab- 

 sorption of urine, and of ammonia which escapes from ex- 

 crement on decomposition. It also makes manure easier 

 to handle and adds organic matter and plant food. 



Table XV shows the number of pounds of water and 

 ammonia absorbed per 100 pounds of litter of various kinds. 



Table XV. — Amount of Water and Ammonia Absorbed by 



Litter 



Water Ammonia 



pounds per pounds per 

 Kind of litter. 100. 100. 



Wheat straw 220 0.17 



Partly decomposed oak leaves .... 162 .... 



Pine sawdust 435 0.05 



Peat 600 1.10 



Peatmoss 1300 0.86 



Table XVI. — Composition of Litter 



Nitrogen Phosphoric acid Potash 

 Kind of litter. per cent. per cent. per cent. 



Straw 0.50 0.25 1.10 



Leaves 0.80 0.30 0.30 



Sawdust 0.45 0.30 0.70 



Peatmoss .... 0.80 0.10 0.17 



Peat 0.85 0.18 0.08 



Table XVI shows the composition of various litters in the 

 fertilizing constituents. It is to be noted that straw, the 

 usual form of litter, contains about as much nitrogen, phos- 

 phoric acid, and potash as does excrement, so that as far 

 as actual plant food is concerned there is no dilution of the 

 amount present in excrement by mixing it with the litter. 

 Sawdust and shavings, however, which are used to a con- 

 siderable extent in cities, contain much less plant food, 

 and furthermore, they decompose very slowly in the soil, 



