DIFFERENT KINDS OF MANURE. 303 



"Cows," said the Doctor, "when giving a large quantity of 

 milk, make rather poor manure. The manure loses what the milk 

 takes from the food." 



" We have shown what that loss is," said I. " It amounts to less 

 than I think is generally supposed. And in the winter, when the 

 cows are dry, the manure would be as rich as from oxen, provided 

 both were fed alike. See Appendix, page 343. It will there be 

 seen that oxen take out only 4.1 Ibs. of nitrogen from 100 Ibs. of 

 nitrogen consumed in the food. In other words, provided there 

 is no loss, we should get in the liquid and solid excrements of the 

 ox and dry cow 95.9 per cent, of the nitrogen furnished in the 

 food, and a still higher per cent of the mineral matter. 



SHEEP-MANURE. 



According to Prof. Wolff's table of analyses, sheep-manure, both 

 solid and liquid, contain less water than the manure from horses, 

 cows, or swine. With the exception of swine, the solid dung is 

 also the richest in nitrogen, while the urine of sheep is pre- 

 eminently rich in nitrogen and potash. 



These facts are in accordance with the general opinions of farm- 

 ers. Sheep-manure is considered, next to hen-manure, the most 

 valuable manure made on the farm. 



I do not think we have any satisfactory evidence to prove that 

 3 tons of clover-hay and a ton of corn fed to a lot of fattening- 

 slieep will afford a quantity of manure containing any more plant- 

 food than the same kind and amount of food fed to a lot of fat- 

 tening-cattle. The experiments of Lawes & Gilbert indicate that 

 if there is any difference it is in favor of the ox. See Appendix, 

 page 343. But it may well be that it is much easier to save the 

 manure from the sheep than from the cattle. And so, practically, 

 sheep may be better manure-makers than cattle for the simple 

 reason that less of the urine is lost. 



"As a rule," said the Doctor, "the dung of sheep contains far 

 less water than the dung of cattle, though when you slop your 

 breeding ewes to make them give more milk, the dung differs but 

 little in appearance from that of cows. Ordinarily, however, sheep- 

 dung is light and dry, and, like horse-dung, will ferment much 

 more rapidly than cow or pig-dung. In piling manure in the win- 

 ter or spring, special pains should be used to mix the sheep and 

 horse-manure with the cow and pig-manure. And it may be re- 

 marked that for any crop or for any purpose where stable-manure 

 is deemed desirable, sheep-manure would be a better substitute 

 than cow or pig-manure." 



