FERMENTING MANURE. 



55 



tains about the same percentage of water. When kept in the heap 

 until August, the percentage of water is much greater. Of four 

 tons of such manure, three tons are water. 



Of Nitrogen, the most valuable ingredient of the manure, the 

 fresh dung, contained O.G4 per cent ; after fermenting six months, it 

 contained 0.89 per cent. Six months later, it contained O.G5 per 

 cent, or about the same amount as the fresh manure. 



Of mineral matter, or ash, this fresh farm-yard manure con- 

 tained 5.59 per cent; of which 1.54 was soluble in water, and 4.05 

 insoluble. After fermenting in the heap for six months, the ma- 

 nure coritained 10.55 per cent of ash, of which 2.86 was soluble, 

 and 7.G9 insoluble. Six months later, the soluble ash had de- 

 creased to 1.97 per cent. 



The following table shows the composition of the manure, at 

 different periods, in the dry state. In other words, supposing all 

 the water to be removed from the manure, its composition would 

 be as follows : 



COMPOSITION OF FRESH FARM YARD MANURE (NO. I.) EXPOSED. CALCULATED DRY. 



" A comparison of these different analyses," says Dr. Voeleker, 

 " points out clearly the changes which fresh farm-yard manure un- 

 dergoes on keeping in a heap, exposed to the influence of the 

 weather during a period of twelve months and twelve days. 



" 1. It will be perceived that the proportion of organic matter 

 steadily diminishes from month to month, until the original per- 

 centage of organic matter in the dry manure, amounting to 83.48 

 per cent, becomes reduced to 53 per cent. 



"2. On the other hand, the total percentage of mineral matter 

 rises as steadily as that of the organic matter falls. 



