On the Valuation of Unexhausted Manures. 
591 
to cover the losses that take place in the manure after it is 
voided bj the animal. The nitrogen and phosphoric acid in 
the manure, as so calculated, were then valued at the prices at 
which they could be purchased in Peruvian guano, and the 
potash at its market price at the time. The total manure-value 
of a ton of each food, as so arrived at, was published, but the 
data were not given. 
Objections have, from time to time, been raised against the 
manure-values given in that Table. At the date of its publi- 
cation, compensation for unexhausted manure was not the law 
of the land ; and whatever opinions may be held as to the 
amount of the valuation in any particular case, or as to the 
valuations as a whole, there can be no doubt that the discussion 
of the subject has led to the general recognition of the fact that 
cattle-foods vary very greatly in their manure-value. So far 
a very important step has been gained. 
Fifteen years elapsed before the Duke of Richmond carried 
through Parliament (in 1875) " The Agricultural Holdings 
Act " for the compensation to the tenant, for his unexhausted 
improvements. This Bill proved, however, to be practically 
inoperative, as its provisions were not compulsory. 
At a meeting of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, 
held on November 3rd, 1875, the following resolution was 
adopted, on the motion of jNIr. Randell : — 
" That while under any circumstances it would be of the 
greatest importance to the members of the Society to prove by 
a series of experiments made under every variety of soil and 
climate how far the accuracy of ' The estimated value of manure 
obtained by the consumption of different articles of food,' as 
given by Mr. Lawes in his valuable contribution to the last 
Spring mimber of the ' Journal ' of the Society, is confirmed by 
practical results, it becomes more especially important now that 
compensation to outgoing tenants for the unexhausted value of 
purchased food will become subject to arbitration. 
" That it be referred to the Chemical Committee to consider 
in what way experiments may be conducted by practical farmers 
in different districts to demonstrate by this union of ' Practice 
with Science,' the actual manure-value of the kinds of food 
most extensively purchased — say the first four articles in 
Mr. Lawes' Table, with any others the Committee may select — 
the feeding value of each being also recorded." 
At the meeting of the Council, held on February 2nd, 1876, 
the Chemical Committee reported with reference to the fore- 
going resolution as follows : — ■ 
" That, recognising the very great importance of the question 
submitted to them, they recommended the Council to extend 
