# i9ii.] Peat-Moss Litter Manure. 757 



"The organic matter and salts of ammonia contained 2' 11 

 per cent, nitrogen, equal to 2*56 of ammonia. It was further 

 found that of matters soluble in water the manure contained 

 nitric acid, o'oi ; sulphuric acid, 0*33; and chlorine, 0*09 

 per cent. 



"The manure was distinctly acid in reaction, and showed : — 



Acidity reckoned as acetic acid ... o'88 per cent. 

 "Of the soil a water extract was made, and this gave : — 

 Total matters soluble in water ... 0*098 per cent. 



"Of this 0*046 per cent, consisted of organic matter, and 

 0*052 per cent, of mineral matter, this latter being mostly 

 sulphate of lime. There was only a trace of chlorine in it, 

 but a marked quantity of nitrates was present. 



"In the examination of the manure and soil alike there 

 was not detected anything leading to the belief that disinfec- 

 tants, deodorisers, &c, had been used with the manure. 



"To come next to anything that may possibly have caused 

 the losses experienced with the plants in consequence of 

 using the manure in question — it does not appear, from my 

 examination, that any mineral acid or the like has been used 

 with the manure, nor do I think that any disinfectant, such 

 as carbolic acid, has been employed with the manure. Yet 

 the evidence you have kindly collected and put at my dis- 

 posal does undoubtedly tend to show that ill results have 

 followed the use of this particular manure. I have, there- 

 fore, carefully considered the matter from the light of prac- 

 tical experience and supplemented this with such facts as the 

 analyses have brought out. 



"Undoubtedly there is a strong prejudice among gar- 

 deners, and market gardeners in particular, against the use 

 of farmyard manure made with peat-moss litter. To what 

 that prejudice is due I have not been able exactly to find out. 

 But there remains the fact that market gardeners will not 

 use this manure until it has been kept stored for a consider- 

 able time — say quite two years. After that time it is reckoned 

 safe to use. You inform me that the manure in question 

 was not absolutely fresh, but had been kept some time, 

 though, it would appear, nothing like the two years men- 

 tioned. 



"I have come to the conclusion — from my examination — 

 that the ill effects in the present case are due to the marked 



