If carelessly left in the yard or in piles unprotected, a large per cent is 

 lost by leaching and washing away. That liquid is just as precious as 

 the golden grain in the bin and, if it is lost, the land is deprived of its 

 just portion of food. 



If manure is piled and not protected, it loses much of its nitrogen 

 through fermentation. Fermentation is carried on by two kinds of 

 organisms — aerobic and anaerobic. The first variety is active only 

 where free oxygen exists, as in the loose part of manure. The other 

 variety is the opposite, working only where no oxygen exists. The 

 anaerobic bacteria are less harmful than the aerobic. When aerobic 

 fermentation is completed, gases £:uch as ammonia, carbon-dioxide and 

 allied gases are lost. The loss in nitrogen is the most important, as 

 seven-eighths of the ammonia gas is nitrogen. 



Composting 



If the heap is kept compact and thoroughly wet, oxygen is excluded 

 and the loss is not great, providing there is no leaching. If the manure 

 is stored in a tight-bottom pit or cement bin, kept moist and a quantity 

 of gypsum, kainit or- raw rock phosphate is sprinkled on from time to 

 time as the pit is filled, the loss will be very slight. A layer of earth 

 placed over the pile will also prevent the escape of gases. 



Extensive experiments made by Roberts show that the loss from expo- 

 sure and leaching amounts from one-third to one-half of the value of 

 fresh manure, or manure that has been protected. Horse manure 

 placed in a pile and subjected to the weather and leaching, depreciates 

 ^s follows: ^^3j^g ^o_ g 



A similar experiment with cow manure conducted at the same time 

 showed the following losses: 



TABLE NO. 7 



