INTESTINAL SECEETIONS. 253 



food that can only be removed from the system through 

 this channel. The composition of the solid excrements of 

 different kinds of animals varies to a still greater extent 

 than that of the urine; moreover, the mechanical form oi 

 these substances materially influences their agricultural value, 

 as it is on this circumstance that the facility with which 

 they undergo decay chiefly depends, and consequently that 

 regulates their fitness for particular purposes. The average 

 composition of the solid excrements of our domestic animals 

 may be thus stated : 



APPROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF THE SOLID EXCREMENTS OF THK 



Horse. Cow. Sheep. Pig. 



Water 760 ... 840 ... 580 ... 800 



Organic matter, woody por- 

 tions of food and other > 210 ... 136 ... 360 ... 170 



insoluble matter 



Containing nitrogen, ca- 

 pable of yielding of am- [> (6'10) ... (3'6) ... (9*02) ... (73) 

 monia 



Mineral substances, consist- } 



ing of insoluble salts of > 30 ... 25 ... 60 ... 30 

 food ) 



Containing phosphoric acid... (3'48) ... (2'25) ... (6'2) ... (4'5) 

 1000 1000 1000 1000 



The difference in the consistence of the solid excrement 

 should not be overlooked. In the horse it should always be 

 firm and in round balls or masses, moulded according to the 

 shape of the folds of the intestine. In the cow it is softer, 

 and cannot be rolled into the masses just mentioned, from 

 the disposition of the intestine. Without entering into fur- 

 ther particulars, I wish to point to the importance of not feed- 

 ing a horse in such a way that its dung is soft and like that 

 of a cow: but by regularity in feeding on corn and hay, with 



