404 



Artificial Farmyard Manure. 



[Aug., 



Between the 60th and the 120th day httle change is found to 

 take place either in the amount of " stabihsed " or " fixed " 

 nitrogen or the proportion of this nitrogen and the ammoaia 

 which appears to be held by fermented material even at a high 

 temperature (B7° C. = 99° F.'), and in spite of the frequent 

 handling and exposure associated with sampling operations. In 

 general, it may be stated that when straw has wwked from an 



At Beginning After 17 days After 24 days 



After 52 days After 59 aay^ After 127 aayp 



Fig-. 2. — The diagram illustrates the changes that occur when straw is fermented 

 in the presence o£ urine. The black discs represent fixed nitrogen, and the white 

 •outer circles represent ammonia nitrogen, 



unsaturated to a " stable " phase little or no free ammonia is to 

 be found, but straw which commences with a super-abundance of 

 nitrogen appears to hold, when in a fermented state, upwards of 

 14 per cent, of its nitrogen in the form of ammonia so long as 

 the material is in a moist condition. Desiccation leads almost to 

 complete loss of ammonia, and in this respect as well as in the 

 proportion of ammonia in the moist material, the artificial 

 resembles the natural manure. 



