56 TALKS ON MANUEES. 



" 3. It will be seen that the loss in organic matter affects the 

 percentage of insoluble organic matters more than the percentage 

 of soluble organic substances. 



44 4. The percentage of soluble organic matters, indeed, increased 

 considerably during the first experimental period ; it rose, namely, 

 from 7.83 per cent to 12.79 per cent. Examined again on the 30th 

 of April, very nearly the same percentage of soluble organic matter, 

 as on February the 14th, was found. The August analysis shows 

 but a slight decrease in the percentage of soluble organic matters, 

 while there is a decrease cf 2 per cent of soluble organic matters 

 when the November analysis is compared with the February an- 

 alysis. 



" 5. The soluble mineral matters in this manure rise or fall in 

 the different experimental periods in the same order as the soluble 

 organic matters. Thus, in February, 9.84 per cent of soluble 

 mineral matters were found, whilst the manure contained only 4.55 

 per cent, when put up into a heap in November, 1854. Gradual!}^ 

 however, the proportion of soluble mineral matters again dimin- 

 ished, and became reduced to 7.27 per cent, on the examination of 

 the manure in November, 1855. 



" 6. A similar regularity will be observed in the percentage of 

 nitrogen contained in the soluble organic matters. 



"In the insoluble organic matters, the percentage of nitrogen 

 regularly increased from November, 1854, up to the 23d of Au- 

 gust, notwithstanding the rapid diminution of the percentage of 

 insoluble organic matter. For the last experimental period, the 

 percentage of nitrogen in the insoluble matter is nearly the same 

 as on August 23d. 



" 8. With respect to the total percentage of nitrogen in the fresh 

 manure, examined at different periods of the year, it will be seen 

 that the February manure contains about one-half per cent more 

 of nitrogen than the manure in a perfectly fresh state. On the 

 30th of April, the percentage of nitrogen again slightly increased; 

 on August 23d, it remained stationary, and had sunk but very lit- 

 tle when last examined on the 15th of November, 1855. 



" This series of analyses thus shows that fresh farm-yard manure 

 rapidly becomes more soluble in water, but that this desirable 

 change is realized at the expense of a large proportion of organic 

 matters. It likewise proves, in an unmistakable manner, that 

 there is no advantage in keeping farm-yard manure for too long a 

 period ; for, after February, neither the percentage of soluble or- 

 ganic, nor that of soluble mineral matter, has become greater, 



