COTTON CULTURE 



rials than any of the above-mentioned manures. It has 

 a large percentage of water, and, in decomposing, generates 

 but little heat. 



Poultry manure contains a comparatively large amount 

 of all the different forms of plant food, being especially 

 rich in ammonia and phosphates. It undergoes fermen- 

 tation readily, and loses ammonia unless properly treated 

 with absorbents or preservatives. 



AVERAGE COMPOSITION OF THE MOST IMPORTANT 

 FARM MANURES. 



As a rule, manure produced from working or fattening 

 animals contains from ninety to ninety-five per cent of 

 the fertilizing constituents contained in the food of these 

 animals. Manure made from cows in milk, and from 

 young growing animals contains from seventy-five to 

 eighty-five per cent of the fertilizing constituents contained 

 in the food. In the case of animals which are neither 

 increasing in weight, nor giving milk, the amount of fer- 

 tilizing materials in the manure will be nearly equal to 

 that contained in the food eaten. The foregoing state- 



