Farmyard Manure. 25 



call this experimental heap " Fresh Farmyard Manure, No. I., 

 Exposed." 



Another object I had in view was to examine the relative 

 merits of various practical methods of the treatment of dung on 

 the farm. This I endeavoured to attain by a series of strictly 

 comparative practical and analytical experiments. For this 

 purpose, I carefully weighed out two additional cartloads of fresh, 

 well-mixed farmyard manure, taken from the same heap from 

 which the experimental heap, No. I., was formed. It was placed 

 next to the heap No. I., but sheltered from rain, sun, and sweeping 

 winds by being kept under a shed. This heap will be described, 

 in the following pages, as " Fresh Farmyard Manure, No. II., 

 Under Shed." 



In order to examine the merits of making farmyard manure in 

 open yards, I weighed out 1 cartload of the same fresh, well- 

 mixed manure, and spread it evenly to about the same thickness 

 in which manure is found under cattle in open yards, in an 

 enclosed space, in close proximity to the other experimental 

 heaps. This heap is called "Fresh Farmyard Manure, No. III., 

 Spread." 



Finally, I put up a small heap of the same well -rotten dung, 

 the analysis of which has been stated above. Like the experi- 

 mental heap No. [., it was placed against a stone wall, but other- 

 wise exposed to the influence of the weather. Under the name 

 of " Well-rotten Farmyard Manure, No. IV., Exposed," it will 

 be described in the succeeding pages. 



All four experimental heaps were again weighed on the 14th 

 of February, 1855, after having thus been kept for 3 months 

 and 11 days. At the same time at which the weighings were 

 made, samples of each were taken for analysis, and the water- 

 determinations made immediately. Unfortunately, I discovered, 

 just when the last heap was placed on the weighbridge, that the 

 frost had impaired the accuracy of the balance, and I had, there- 

 fore, no alternative but to reject the weighings in toto, and can 

 supply therefore for this month only the analyses. This is the 

 more to be regretted, as I submitted samples of three of the ex- 

 perimental heaps to a strict and detailed analysis. I trust, 

 however, the subjoined analyses will not be void of interest. 



The following Table exhibits the composition of " Experi- 

 mental Heap No. I., Exposed," in its natural state : 



