FERTILIZERS. 269 



This manure contains considerable water. The same author found that 500 grains, dried at 

 a heat a little above boiling water, lost 35 grains. The ash of the remainder, amounting to 

 143 grains, gave, on being burnt, 8'5 grains, of which 4-80 grains were soluble in water ; the 

 remainder 3 '20, insoluble. Horse manure consists, then, when summed up, of the following 

 parts : 



Water 3.57-00 



Vegetable fibrin and animal matter, 13/5-00 



Silica, 3-20 



Phosphate of lime, 0-40 



Carbonate of lime, 1-50 



Phosphate of magnesia and soda, 2 -90 



600-00 



This manure stands high as a fertilizer, but is quite liable to be injured or to be lost by fer- 

 mentation and the rapaid escape of ammonia. To prevent this, it should be mixed with a quan- 

 tity of gypsum, which may be added to it from time to time ; or if it could be placed in alter- 

 nating layers with peat, an immense advantage would be gained : as usually left to heat more 

 than half of its valuable matters are dissipated. 



The excrements of the cow are regarded as less valuable than the horse or hog. However 

 this may be, observation and experience prove that those of the cow, as they usually accumu- 

 late in the yard during winter, are really the most valuable for farm purposes ; that either 

 those from the hog-stye and which are left by animals fitting for slaughter, especially if fed 

 upon grain, are better than yard manure. The excrements of the cow are composed of, 



Phosphate of lime, 10-90 



Phosphate of magnesia, 10 '00 



Peroxide of iron, 8-50 



Lime, 1-50 



Sulphate of lime, 3-10 



Chloride of potassium traces. 



Silica 63-70 



Loss 1-30 



100-00 Haidlen. 



