EXCREMENTS AND URINE. 91 



(nitrogen^ potash^ and soda), but is deficient in the 

 seed-forming- mineral nutrients ; it operates, more- 

 over, very rapidly, because the azotized matters it 

 contains in abundant quantity have a great tendency 

 to putrefaction, and are consequently very speedily 

 converted into ammonia. Hence the fluid excre- 

 ments alone, except, perhaps, on very favorable soils, 

 are incapable of bringing forth a plentiful yield of 

 seed ; in like manner, they cannot by themselves 

 alone be deemed a " complete manure," because 

 they are destitute of the insoluble mineral sub- 

 stances. 



It is now clearly evident how advantageous it 

 must be to the farmer to blend both kinds of manure, 

 and carefully provide that, by means of the straw, 

 the larger quantity of the urine is retained in the 

 manure he obtains from his stable. What is want- 

 ing to the one is imparted by the other, and the 

 mixture is by this means converted into a " com- 

 plete or perfect manure " ; i. e. a manure containing 

 all the nutritive elements, soluble and insoluble, 

 organic and inorganic, which are essential to the 

 vigorous and rapid growth of plants. 



The peculiarity of the manure, according to the 

 species of the animal from which it proceeds, is 

 likewise mainly dependent upon its constituent ele- 

 ments ; occasionally, too, as has already been men- 

 tioned, upon the manner and degree in which the 

 integrants of the mass are reciprocally coherent. 



The excrements of cows contain the least quantity 



