68 THE SOIL OP THE FARM. 



quires far more of the nitrogenous and asli elements in 

 its food to accomplish this growth, in addition to what 

 is necessary to sustain the vital system and to lay on fat. 

 The same is more or less true of breeding animals, and of 

 animals producing milk and wool. Unless both these 

 and the young growing animals are fed on food rich in 

 nitrogenous and ash elements, the manure from them 

 must be comparatively poor. In the case of the mature 

 animal, however, the manure is not materially less fertil- 

 izing than the original food. 



2. The Food. — More important even than the kind of 

 animals as affecting the quality of the manure, is the food 

 used in feeding them. There is a certain amount of waste 

 tissue thrown off by the animal which goes into the 

 manure, but, speaking generally, the excrement represents 

 that portion of the food wliich is not used by the animal. 

 The extent to which the constitu tents of the food are 

 made use of by the animal will depend on the digestibili- 

 ty of the feeding substance, and on the assimilative power 

 of the animal for the food in question. Oil-cakes yield 

 the richest manure ; then come beans, peas, malt-dust, 

 bran, clover hay, cereal grain, meadow hay, roots, and 

 straw, in the order named. 



3. The Litter is an important part of farm-yard ma- 

 nure, not only on account of the manure matters con- 

 tained in it, which are considerable, but also as affecting 

 the texture and consequent fermentation of the manure. 

 The quantity of litter should be sufficient to absorb and 

 retain the greater part of the liquid manure, and the sur- 

 plus, if any, should be pumped up at intervals and dis- 

 tributed over the manure so as to keep the whole in a 

 proper state of moisture. If the litter is deficient, tlie 

 manure l)ecomes too moist, and the most valuable part 

 drains off, unless means are taken to collect it in the 

 liquid tank. AVliether the manure is too moist or too 

 dry, fermentation is equally checked ; in the former case 



