Farmyard Manure. 



59 



Table showing Composition of Experimental Heap (No. III.), fresh Farmyard 

 Manure, spread, at different periods of the Year. Calculated dry. 



small proportion of the original fertilizing matters is left 

 behind. 



Thus the soluble organic matters sink from 7*33 per cent, to 

 5'8 per cent, in the course of six months, to 1*64 per cent, in 

 nine months, and to 1*21 per cent, in twelve months. With this 

 loss in soluble organic matters the percentage of nitrogen, present 

 in the form of soluble compounds, gradually sinks from *44 per 

 cent, to '10 per cent. That this loss in nitrogen is not entirely 

 due to the evaporation of ammonia, is shown by the simultaneous 

 diminution of the amount of soluble inorganic matters, which 

 became reduced from 4*55 per cent, to 1*69. 



Still more conspicuous is the loss in insoluble organic matters. 

 Thus we have in the fresh dry manure 76*15 per cent, of insoluble 

 organic matters. After a lapse of six months only 57'37 per 

 cent, are left behind ; after nine months but 35*3 per cent., and 

 after twelve months merely 28'86 per cent. 



Similar striking differences in the composition of the manure 

 at the stated periods will manifest themselves on an attentive 

 perusal of the foregoing tabulated analytical results. They all 

 tend to prove the enormous waste which is incurred by keeping 

 for a lengthy period farmyard manure exposed in thin layers to 

 the influence of the weather. But I must hasten to ascertain the 

 precise loss in the various constituents which this manure sus- 

 tained in the course of a year. 



This loss will become apparent by an inspection of the fol- 



