MANURES AND THEIR USES. 
209 
Treatment of Farmyard Manure. 
One of the oldest methods for the treatment of stable and 
farmyard manure is the well known ''dung maxel " or " heap " 
method. The fresh manure is piled up in heaps to ferment 
and mature. Sometimes these heaps are covered with soil, the 
object being to prevent volatilisation of ammonia and to keep 
out the rain. 
The most valuable constituents of dung are those contained 
in the urine of animals. 
The straw or litter absorbs this liquid, though some of it is 
liable to drain away unless an excessive quantity of litter is used. 
A loss thus arises, and a still greater loss is incurred if, in the 
course of fermentation, the dark brown liquor is allowed to 
trickle from the mass. This liquor contains not only the con- 
stituents of the urine, but valuable solid matters which have 
become soluble during the fermentation. Straw will absorb any 
ordinary liquids. An endeavour should be made to restrict its 
absorbent powers entirely to the excretions of the animals, and 
for this purpose the litter should be kept out of reach of rain 
or other water. The washing out of manure of its fertilising 
ingredients will at the same time be prevented. 
For the better preservation of dung, therefore, covered places 
have been recommended. The floors of these places should be 
so constructed that the drainings may flow into a tank. 
Another advantage of a covered place is that dung may 
accumulate in it to a considerable depth, when an occasional 
treading will help to make the mass uniform in texture and 
quality. 
The use of roughly chaffed straw and peat moss litter will aid 
in the formation of a well and consolidated bed of dung. It is 
sometimes advantageous to pump the contents of the liquid 
manure tank over the dung heap to prevent the loss of ammonia 
given off while the heap is fermenting. Whenever the manure 
heap is seen to be steaming there is sure to be a loss of carbonate 
of ammonia going on. 
Fermentation of Stable Manure. 
During the fermentation of stable or farmyard manure 
various changes take place. The straw, vegetable matters, &c., 
along with the excreta, undergo a certain change brought about 
