MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 93 



wasteful of nitrogen as it carries this element in too large a 

 proportion to its phosphorus and potassium. 



In the experiments referred to above the problem undertaken 

 by Woods and Bartlett was the determination of a method of 

 treatment of hen manure which would first prevent the loss of 

 nitrogen; second, add sufficient phosphorus and potassium in 

 forms available for plant food to make a balanced fertilizer; 

 and third, so improve the mechanical condition of the dung that 

 it can be applied to the land with a manure spreader. Seven 

 different methods of treatment were tested. The authors give 

 the following summary of their results. 



"By itself, hen dung is a one-sided nitrogenous fertilizer. 

 As usually managed, one-half or more of its nitrogen is lost, 

 so that as ordinarily used it does not carry so great an excess 

 of nitrogen. Because of its excess of nitrogen it will be much 

 more economically used in connection with manures carrying 

 phosphoric acid and potash. As both acid phosphate and kainit 

 prevent the loss of nitrogen, it is possible to use them in con- 

 nection with sawdust or some other dry material as an absorbent 

 (good dry loam or peat will answer nicely) so as to make a 

 well balanced fertilizer. For example, a mixture of 30 pounds 

 of hen manure, 10 pounds of sawdust, 16 pounds of acid phos- 

 phate, and 8 pounds of kainit would carry about .25 per cent 

 nitrogen, 4.5 per cent phosphoric acid, and 2 per cent potash, 

 which, used at the rate of 2 tons per acre, would furnish 50 

 pounds nitrogen, 185 pounds phosphoric acid, and 80 pounds 

 potash." 



At the usual prices of fertilizing ingredients this mixture 

 is worth from $10.00 to $20.00 per ton. It is a well balanced, 

 stable, fertilizer which, while still not fine enough to work well 

 in drills, can be successfully applied with a manure spreader. 



The kind of absorbent used should be the one which can 

 be obtained at least cost, since the amount of plant food added 

 by any of those suggested is negligible, and since they are about 

 equally effective as dryers (the slight acidity of peat gives it 

 some advantage as it helps a little to preserve the nitrogen). 

 It is probably that one of the three can be obtained by any poul- 

 tryman or farmer at little or no expense. 



The absorbent and the acid phosphate and kainit should be 

 kept conveniently at hand and each day when the droppings 



