THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



Feeding highly nitrogenous materials, of 

 course, increases the amount of the most ex- 

 pensive fertilizing ingredient, nitrogen, in the 

 solid excrements, and materially increases the 

 quantity of liquid manure, which necessitates 

 using more bedding, and largely increases the 

 manure heap. 



Straw, dry leaves, sawdust, and peat are 

 among the best materials for bedding, because 

 they possess the much prized nitrogen, and 

 therefore have individual value, irrespective of 

 their specific purpose of absorbing the mois- 

 ture in the stables, and preventing it from 

 evaporating. 



Poultry manure, which has not entered into 

 any of the foregoing calculations, is one of 

 the richest, for it combines the undigested resi- 

 due of food and liquid secretions, which always 

 contain a higher percentage of nitrogen and 

 potash than the solid droppings. We con- 

 sider that the poultry houses contribute as 

 much manurial value as the barns, stables, or 

 sheep fold. 



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