Value of Earth- Closet Manure. 
199 
tain about one-fourth of dry matter, and three-fourths of water. 
The dry matter contains about 1^ per cent, of nitrogen, and 1 
per cent, of phosphoric acid. 
According to Professor Way human faeces in a recent con- 
dition are stated to contain in 100 parts : — 
Water " 75-00 
♦Organic matter 22-13 
Insoluble siliceous matter '37 
Oxide of iron '13 
Lime '43 
Magnesia "38 
Phosphoric acid 1"07 
Sulphuric acid -06 
Potash -30 
Soda -08 
Chloride of sodium '05 
100-00 
* Containing nitrogen 1-50 
Equal to ammonia 1-82 
If it were possible to dry faeces without loss in fertilizing 
matters, and without the addition of bulky material, they would, 
in a dry state, be a very valuable manure, for in that state they 
would contain : — 
♦Organic matter 88-52 
Insoluble siliceous matter 1-48 
Oxide of iron -54 
Lime 1-72 
Magnesia 1-55 
Phosplioric acid 4-27 
Sulphuric acid '24 
Potash 1-19 
Soda -31 
Chloride of sodium -18 
100-00 
* Containing nitrogen 6 '00 
Equal to ammonia 7-28 
It appears from the preceding figures that, in a perfectly dry 
condition, 2 tons of solid human excreta are worth almost as 
much as 1 ton of Peruvian Guano ; and it seems a great pity 
that a manure possessing such a fertilizing value should be 
wasted as at present it is in a great measure. 
Still more valuable as a manure is human urine, for its prin- 
cipal constituent — urea — contains nearly 50 percent, of nitrogen ; 
and uric acid — an active constituent of urine — contains about 
33 per cent, of nitrogen ; and besides these nitrogenous organic 
matters, human urine contains a good deal of phosphoric acid. 
Human urine has been analysed by BeTzelius, Becquerel, and 
