DIFFERENT KINDS OF MANURE. 307 



The drainage from a barn-yard, it will be seen, contains a little 

 more than half as much nitrogen as cow-dung; and it is probable 

 that the nitrogen in the liquid is in a much more available condi- 

 tion than that in the dung. It contains, also, nearly five times as 

 much potash as the dung. It would seem, therefore, that with 

 proper arrangements for pumping and distributing, this liquid 

 could be drawn a short distance with profit. 



But whether it will or will not pay to cart away the drainage, it 

 is obviously to our interest to prevent, as far as possible, any of 

 the liquid from running to waste. 



It is of still greater importance to guard against any loss of 

 urine. It will be seen that, on the average, a ton of the urine of 

 our domestic animals contains more than twice as much nitrogen 

 as a ton of the dung. 



"Where straw, leaves, swamp-muck, or other absorbent materials 

 are not sufficiently abundant to prevent any loss of urine, means 

 should be used to drain it into a tank so located that the liquid 

 can either be pumped back on to the manure when needed, or 

 drawn away to the land. 



" I do not see," said the Deacon, " why horse and sheep-urine 

 should contain so much more nitrogen and potash than that from 

 the cow and pig." 



" The figures given by Prof. TVolff," said I, " are general aver- 

 ages. The composition of the urine varies greatly. The richer the 

 food in digestible nitrogenous matter, the more nitrogen will there 

 be in the dry matter of the urine. And, other things being equal, 

 the less water the animal drinks, the richer will the urine be in 

 nitrogen. The urine from a sheep fed solely on turnips would 

 contain little or no more nitrogen than the urine of a cow fed on 

 turnips. An ox or a dry cow fed on grass would probably void 

 no more nor no poorer urine than a horse fed on grass. The urine 

 that Mr. Lawes drew out in a cart on to his grass-land was made 

 by sheep that had one it), each of oil-cake per day, and one R>. of 

 chaffed clover-hay, and all the turnips they would eat. They voided 

 a large quantity of urine, but as the food was rich in nitrogen, the 

 urine was doubtless nearly or quite as rich as that analyzed by 

 Prof. Wolff, though that probably contained less water. 



If I was going to draw out liquid manure, I should be very care- 

 ful to spout all the buildings, and keep the animals and manure as 

 much under cover as possible, and also feed food rich in nitrogen. 

 In such circumstances, it would doubtless pay to draw the urine 

 full as well as to draw the solid manure. 



