120 Fertilizers 



Variations in manures. 



Yard manure varies in its composition according to the 

 character of the animals producing it, the quality of the 

 food and the object of feeding. Its composition is also 

 influenced by the amount and kind of litter used, and its 

 handling after it is secured. The manure from young 

 animals is less valuable than that made when animals 

 are full grown. Manure made from fattening animals is 

 richer than that produced by dairy cows; animals fed 

 upon hay and straw furnish manure much less valuable 

 than when the cereal grains constitute a part of the ration. 



Manure produced by different animals. 



Horse manure is richer in nitrogen, contains less water 

 and is less variable in composition than that obtained from 

 cows. The manure made by animals consuming rich 

 food is more liable to fermentation than that produced 

 when they are fed upon bulky or watery feeds. 



Horse manure is called a "hot manure" because of its 

 tendency to hot fermentation, and is for this reason par- 

 ticularly useful for hotbeds, and for forcing early growth. 

 Cow manure, on the other hand, is called a " cold manure," 

 because less liable to fermentation. Sheep manure con- 

 tains less water, and is richer in the fertilizing constituents 

 than either horse or cow manure. Pig manure, while 

 quite as watery as cow manure, is richer in nitrogen. 



Composition of stable manure. 



Manure from horse stables in large cities also varies 

 considerably in composition. It contains on the average 

 75 per cent, or 1500 pounds to the ton, of water, and 25 

 per cent, or 500 pounds to the ton, of dry matter, which 



