24 On Liquid Manure. 



1857, the author gives a short account of a visit to Mr. Mechi's 

 farm, and, amongst other particulars referring to the working 

 expenses for distributing liquid manure at Tiptree, states on 

 page 57 : 



" The quantity delivered daily in ten working hours would be 130 tons of 

 water ; but Mr. Mechi estimates that the cost of delivery may be fairly placed 

 at from l?d. to 2d. per ton, the specific gravity of liquid manure being so 

 much greater than water. 



" There will be distributed over the whole farm on the average from 45,000 

 to 50,000 gallons of liquid manure per acre per annum.-' 



Assuming the composition of the liquid manure not to vary 

 materially at different periods, 50,000 gallons of liquid manure, 

 with the sediment, would yield 50,000x5*476 grains, or 273,800 

 grains of ammonia, or in round numbers 39 Ibs. of ammonia. 



Peruvian guano yields from 16 to 18 per cent, of ammonia. 

 To produce the above-mentioned 39 Ibs. of ammonia, we should 

 require 2 cwt. of Peruvian guano of the best quality. At 13/. 

 per ton, the 2 cwt. would cost 26s. For this outlay of money 

 the same amount of ammonia would be obtained which is yielded 

 by 50,000 gallons of Mr. Mechi's muddy tank-liquid. 



Deducting the clay and earth which swell the amount of solid 

 matter in the muddy tank-liquid, and taking no account of the 

 suspended organic matter, which may be done with propriety, 

 since account has been taken of the nitrogen, the only valuable 

 portion in it, we have as nearly as possible the same weight of 

 solid matter in 2 cwt. of Peruvian guano which is contained in 

 50,000 gallons of the Tiptree liquid manure. But the solid con- 

 stituents of Peruvian guano being more valuable than those 

 in the liquid, a balance would be left in favour of guano. 

 Allowing- 46'. for sowing 2 cwt. of guano, 30s. would cover the 

 cost price and expense of applying the guano. 



If 1 ton of liquid manure, according to Mr. Mechi's estimate, 

 costs for delivery 2c?., 50,000 gallons, = 500,000 Ibs., will cost 

 I/. 17 5 . 2d. 



The fertilising matters in 50,000 gallons of liquid manure 

 thus will cost for delivery 7s. 2d. more than the price of the 

 materials and expenses of application would amount to were 

 they put upon the land in the shape of Peruvian guano. Whether 

 or not it is good economy to spend I/. 17s. 2d. for the delivery 

 of fertilising materials which are intrinsically worth about 26s., 

 or at the most 30s., is a question which may be safely left in the 

 hands of practical men. It is a question which, I think, cannot 

 be answered in a general way. On some soils I believe even a 

 larger expense for delivery may be incurred, whilst on others less 

 than a quarter the expense may be ruinous. 



Many persons, deceived bv the bad smell and dark colour of 



