On Liquid Manure. 7 



and pungent-smelling- liquid was pumped up. On agitating this 

 liquid it became very frothy, and at the same time gave off a 

 strong and pungent smell. The froth and pungent smell no 

 doubt were due to the evolution of carbonate of ammonia. 



At 62 Fahr. the liquid manure from Westonbirt had a specific 

 gravity of 1-006. 



Evaporated to dryness an imperial pint (7000 grs.) furnished 

 41-8025 grs. of solid residue (dried at 212). 



On burning in a platinum dish this amount of solid matter 

 left 26'281 of ash. A separate portion of dry residue was used 

 for the determination of the amount of nitrogen present in the 

 shape of non-volatile ammoniacal salts and nitrogenized organic 

 matters. 



A fresh quantity of liquid manure (7000 grs.) was next 

 neutralized with dilute hydrochloric acid, and thereby the volatile 

 carbonate of ammonia was fixed, and obtained on evaporation to 

 dryness on the water-bath as sal ammoniac. The addition of 

 hydrochloric acid had also the effect of decomposing humate and 

 ulmate of ammonia, both of which occur in liquid manure, and 

 impart to it a more or less dark colour. The organic acids separate 

 in the form of a brownish flaky substance, whilst the ammonia 

 unites with the hydrochloric acid, forming with it sal ammoniac. 

 Liquid manure, on boiling, yields ammonia, even if it contains 

 no free nor volatile carbonate of ammonia. This evolution of 

 ammonia arises from the decomposition of ulmate or humate 

 of ammonia two compounds which, on boiling with bicarbonate 

 of potash, a constituent that is always present in liquid manure, 

 yield free ammonia. 



The dry residue obtained by evaporating 7000 grains of liquid 

 manure, with the addition of hydrochloric acid, was employed 

 for determining the whole amount of nitrogen present in the 

 shape of nitrogenized matters, as well as non-volatile and volatile 

 salts of ammonia. By deducting the amount of nitrogen found 

 in the residue obtained on evaporation without acid from the 

 residue obtained with acid, and calculating the remainder as 

 ammonia, the proportion of ammonia existing as carbonate and 

 as humate and ulmate of ammonia was ascertained. 



The mineral portion left on burning the residue was carefully 

 analysed according to the best and most recent methods, which need 

 not be mentioned here in detail. 



According to the several results obtained in the analysis, an 

 imperial gallon of liquid manure from Westonbirt, Tetbury, 

 Gloucestershire, contained : 



B 2 



