104 SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



per cent, nitrogen 60 per cent, phosphoric acid 47 per cent, potash 76 

 per cent; for cow manure the loss was: gross weight 49 per cent, nitro- 

 gen 41 per cent, phosphoric acid 19 per cent, potash 8 per cent. The 

 rainfall during this period was 28 inches. This shows an average loss 

 for the two classes of manure of more than one-half in both weight and 

 actual plant-food constituents. 



By similar observations at the Kansas Station, it was found that 

 the waste in six months amounted to fully one-half of the gross weight 

 of the manure and nearly 40 per cent of its nitrogen. 



The New Jersey Experiment Station found that cow dung exposed 

 to the weather for 109 days lost 37.6 per cent of its nitrogen, 52 per cent 

 of its phosphoric acid and 47 per cent of its potash. Mixed dung and 

 urine lost during the same period of time 51 per cent of its nitrogen, 51 

 per cent of phosphoric acid and 61 per cent of potash. Numerous other 

 experiments along the same line could be cited, giving essentially the same 

 results. These experiments leave no doubt as to the large loss incurred 

 in negligent methods in the management of manure, and emphasize the 

 importance of better methods of storing manure. 



The estimated annual value of the manure from all animals in the 

 United States as given in the table in the first part of this chapter is 

 $2,485,367,711. There is no means of ascertaining what proportion of 

 all manure is deposited where it can be collected. For present purposes 

 we will assume that one-half of it is available for return to the land. 

 Assuming that one-third of this is lost because of faulty methods of stor- 

 age and handling, the loss from this source would be valued at $414,- 

 227,952. The enormous loss sustained by American farmers through 

 negligence in the care, management and use of manure emphasizes the 

 importance of the subject and the great need of adopting economic methods 

 in its utilization. 



How to Prevent Loss. — Some of the methods of preventing loss 

 have already been suggested. Under most conditions this is best accom- 

 plished by hauling the manure soon after its production directly to the 

 field. This has become a common practice in many localities. It is 

 economical from a number of viewpoints. It saves labor, obviating the 

 extra handling incurred when the manure is first dumped in the yard 

 and afterwards loaded on wagons to be taken to the field. It keeps 

 the premises about the barns and yards clean at all times; reduces offen- 

 sive odors due to decomposition of manure; and reduces in the summer 

 time breeding places for flies. The most important saving, however, is 

 in the actual value of the manure, which in this way has sustained no loss 

 due to decomposition and leaching. 



Absorbents vs. Cisterns. — Losses frequently occur both in the yard 

 and stable, due to a direct and immediate loss of the liquid portions of 

 the manure. This is overcome either by the use of an ample supply of 

 absorbent in the way of bedding or by collecting the liquid manure in a 



