STALL-MANURE AND STRAW. ^ 141 



several times brought forward. If the manure re- 

 mains moist, it will continue to decompose, although 

 less actively than on the dunghill, and in the milder 

 form of decay ; and the gases hereby evolved (car- 

 bonic acid, ammonia) are for the most part lost, 

 since nothing is present which retains them, and they 

 therefore can escape unimpeded into the atmosphere ; 

 especially when the air is agitated, for then their 

 evaporation and volatilization are materially acceler- 

 ated. If, on the other hand, the manure becomes 

 completely dry, or frozen, decomposition will be en- 

 tirely interrupted, and it will lie inactive on the 

 ground ; its action, slow enough without this addi- 

 tional delay, will therefore be still more protracted. 

 The most advantageous course will always be that 

 of ploughing it as quickly as possible into the land, 

 in order that the products of decay may be held 

 firmly by the soil. If this is impracticable, the loss 

 will be lessened by piling the manure in large, but 

 not too lofty heaps, and covering them with earth. 

 When a considerable height is given to the heaps, it 

 is then certainly very advantageous to apply inter- 

 mediate layers of earth, varying from twelve to eigh- 

 teen inches in thickness. 



The addition of slaked lime to rotten manure is 

 altogether objectionable, because lime possesses the 

 power of again liberating the combined and fixed 

 ammonia (page 110), as the powerful and pungent 

 odor, which is by this means evolved, makes suffi- 

 ciently evident. Nevertheless, it may be objected, 



