PIG-MANURE. 27 



4. The manure is more easily distributed when ap- 

 plied to the field. 



Among the advantages incidental to allowing the 

 manure to accumulate in the court may be mentioned 

 the following : 



1. The more thorough absorption of the urine by 

 the straw, and, consequently, the more uniform mix- 

 ture which will be thus effected of the more valuable 

 urine with the less valuable solid excreta. 



2. A certain retardation of decomposition effected 

 by the treading under foot of the manure. 



3. The protection of the manure from rain and 

 wind, and the securing of a uniform temperature. 



Against those advantages must be placed the risk of 

 seriously affecting the health of the animal. Although 

 this is a point of very great importance, it scarcely 

 falls within the scope of this work. It may be pointed 

 out, however, that the judicious use of some of the 

 chemical fixers previously referred to may do much to 

 keep the air of the byre or court free of noxious gases. 1 



3. Pig-manure. The food of the pig is so very vari- 

 able in its character, that it is weUnigh impossible to 

 obtain anything like an average analysis of its excre- 

 ments. When the food of the pig is rich, then the 

 manure may be quite equal in quality to the other 

 manures. According to Boussingault, the total amount 

 of excrements, on an average, voided by a pig in twenty- 

 four hours is about 8.32 lb., of which 1.5 Ib. is dry 



1 For further analyses of cow-manure, see Appendix, Note XL, p. 60. 



