286 IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL 



The salts of potash, soda and lime, are much less. The 

 whole, including the salts of ammonia, may be estimated at 

 2Jlbs. in 100 of manure. 



The quantity of nitrogen in cow dung has been proved, 

 by experiment, to exceed that found in the food eaten. 

 A cow, fed on 24 lbs. of hay and 12 lbs. of potatoes, 

 yielded daily 85.57 lbs. of dung, or 14 J lbs. of solid ma- 

 nure. This contained 3.03 of nitrogen, while the hay, etc. 

 contained only 1.67 parts ; hence, a part must be derived 

 from the air. 



The daily droppings of one cow are sufficient for one half 

 bushel of corn. The quantity produced per year is sufficient 

 to fertilize an acre. It will consist of the following sub- 

 stances. 



Carbonate of lime 37 lbs. 



Common salt 24 " 



Sulphate of potash 15 " 



Total 3r025 " 



Here is sufficient lime for 60 bushels of wheat, and the straw 

 grown on 3 acres. But the power of the manure to form 

 ammonia and nitrates, constitutes its relative value. The 

 same is true of all other manures. 



2. Horse manure. Recent horse dung is highly saturated 

 with water, and covered with mucus. Its character and nu- 

 tritive qualities vary somewhat, according to the nature of the 

 food. Horses fed on grain yield, of course, a more valuable 

 article, than those fed upon hay alone. According to the 

 analysis of Dr. C. T. Jackson, 100 grains of recent manure 

 consists of 



Water 71.40 



Veg. and animal mattter 27.00 

 Silica .64 



Phosphate of lime .08 



Carbonate of lime .30 



Phosph. of magnesia &sod;i .58 



100.00 



It will be seen that the quantity of vegetable and animal mat- 

 ter is considerably larger than in cow dung. It is as 14 to 

 27, or nearly double ; and of course the quantity of nitrogen 



