MANURES AND THEIR USES. 
211 
putrefaction, and become less heated in the manure heap than 
the excreta of other animals. The excreta of horses are much 
richer in nitrogen, and less watery than those of cows ; ^lieir 
texture is more dense, and they cohere but loosely. For this 
reason they can be readily distributed, and pass more quickly 
into decay, and consequently become the sooner available for 
plant-food. The excreta of sheep contain still more nitrogen 
and less water than those of horses ; they are easy of decom- 
position, although of a very compact nature. The excreta of 
pigs vary in composition probably more than those of almost 
any other farm animal, owing to the immense difference in the 
methods of feeding, &c. 
2. The age and condition of animals affect the composition 
of the manure heap ; for growing animals, in their rapid forma- 
tion of bone and tissue, require both organic^and inorganic sub- 
stances, which they obtain from the food supplied. Full-grown 
adult animals do not require these foods in so large a propor- 
tion, and, consequently, the manure of a young beast will 
always, with the same foddering, be less valuable than that of a 
full-grown adult animal. 
Again, a hard-worked beast will furnish less manure, and 
that of smaller value, than one comparatively at rest. 
The composition and value of the excreta voided by milking 
cows will vary, even with the same description of food, according 
to the production of milk. When in "full milk" the manure 
will be more deficient in quality than when the animal is 
** nearly dry." 
8. The character of the food will influence the quality of the 
manure by the greater or less amount of water which it 
contains. 
A ton of manure derived from green fodder will only be 
about one half the value of the same weight obtained by the 
consumption of dry food. 
4. Quantity and kind of straw employed as litter. Straw 
has a much less manurial value than the excreta of animals, and 
consequently the manure will be strong or weak in exact propor- 
tion to the quantity of hquid urine absorbed. Stable and farm- 
yard manure rich in urine will also pass more rapidly into 
fermentation, and become more quickly available as plant-food, 
than when poor in l^at constituent. 
