VALUE OF MANURE. 77 



lime, the ash of the urine will be found 20 to 40 per cent, 

 of phosphoric acid ; for instance, when the food is milk 

 or when animals are fed upon rich grains. But when ru- 

 minants are fed exclusively upon coarse fodder containing 

 much lime, very little phosphoric acid is found in the 

 urine. 



It will thus be seen that the excretion of phosphoric 

 acid in the urine will depend upon the kind of food given. 

 When not found in the urine it is excreted in the solid 

 dung ; but this usually occurs when food is given that is 

 poor in this element and comparatively rich in lime and 

 therefore in all rich feeding the phosphoric acid is princi- 

 pally excreted in the urine. 



Of potash and soda contained in the food some 95 per 

 cent, is excreted in the urine, likewise 20 to 30 per cent, of 

 the magnesia, and nearly all of the sulphuric acid and 

 chlorine, but only a very little lime. 



All the rest of the ash constituents that are not used in 

 the body or in the production of milk, together with the 

 silica, are excreted in the dung. 



We have endeavored in the above to give a short and 

 clear explanation of animal excretions. Careful attention 

 to these physiological facts will enable the stock feeder 

 to understand the manurial value of the different foods, 

 and also the comparative value of the liquid and solid 

 excretions. 



VALUE OF MANURE. 



The economic feeding of farm stock requires a careful 

 consideration of the value of their manure. In the chief 

 countries of Europe where agriculture is most intelligently 

 conducted, the value of the manure is one of the chief factors 

 entering into the problem of cattle, sheep and swine hus- 

 bandry. Whilst in this country, with our so lately virgin 

 soil, the value of the manure has only recently been seri- 



