580 SOILS: PROPERTIES AND MANAGEMENT 



tion and a balancing thereby of the plant ration is one 

 of the many problems that present themselves in the 

 economic handling and utilization of animal residues. 



482. Variable composition of manures. — The manure 

 produced on an average farm is rather likely to vary 

 markedly in composition and character from time to 

 time. It may even change radically from one day to 

 another. There are five general factors that are usually 

 listed as being responsible for this variation: (1) litter; 

 (2) class of animal ; (3) individuality, condition, and age of 

 animal ; (4) food of animal ; and (5) handling of manure. 



483. Litter. — Perhaps under ordinary circumstances 

 the amount and character of the litter has as much to 

 do with the variation in manurial composition as has 

 any other one factor, if not more. By an increase in 

 the amount of bedding, the product becomes bulky, 

 light in weight, and difficult to handle. This is likely 

 to be the case with manure from livery stables, where 

 the litter is used to keep the horses clean and not for 

 purposes of plant-food conservation. That bedding must 

 also exert a marked effect on chemical composition is 

 evident from the following analyses : — 



Composition of Litter 



Sawdust and shavings add little of value to the manure 

 and really act as a diluent. While they are good absorb- 



