52 



DRY FARMING 



Spreading manure is a time-honored custom, and in 

 most communities the benefits are fully appreciated. 

 Table IX. brings out the fertility value of manure from 

 the standpoint of its content of the essential elements. 

 The figures are computed on the basis of average barn- 

 yard manure. 

 Table IX.— Fertility . Value of Barnyard Manure.* 



Essential 

 Elements 



Nitrogen 



Phosphorus 



Potassium 



Pounds in 1 



bu. wheat, 



grain and 



straw 



1.92 



.32 



1.16 



Possible 

 bu. wheat, 

 grain only 



7^1 



12.5 

 30.8 



Possible 



bu. wheat, 



grain and 



straw 



5.2 

 9.4 

 6.9 



Thus one ton of average barnyard manure contains 

 as much nitrogen as 7.1 bushels of wheat, as much 

 phosphorus as 12.5 bushels, and as much potassium as 

 30.8 bushels. If we assume no losses, but that the 

 fertility elements contained in a ton of manure go to 

 make up grain and straw, the nitrogen would be suf- 

 ficient for 5.2 bushels, the phosphorus for 9.4 bushels 

 and the potassium for 6.9 bushels. 



In live stock farming the organic matter recovered in 

 the manure represents less than one-half of that fed. 

 Further loss occurs in the barnyard, due to fermenta- 

 tion through the action of bacteria, and through leach- 

 ing. In this connection Hopkins' "Soil Fertility and 

 Permanent Agriculture" says: "As an average in live- 

 stock farming, the animals retain about one-fourth of 

 the nitrogen and phosphorus and destroy two-thirds of 

 the organic matter of the food consumed, and large loss 

 is likely to occur in the manure produced, especially in 

 nitrogen and organic matter, a loss in one half of these 



* Figures from Hopkins' "Soil FertiHty and Permanent Agri- 

 culture." 



