The Deterioration of Manures. • 
l 5 
Influence of Feed upon the Value of Manure. 
Since the feed has a great deal to do with the amount of plant 
fertility in the manure, this should be taken into consideration when 
discussing different manures. Most of the manures used in the 
standard analysis were from sheep fed on hays, beets, pasture and a 
few on alfalfa, but almost none were from feeding pens where sheep 
had been fattened and had received as much as they would eat of 
corn and alfalfa. The alfalfa being very rich in nitrogen of course 
produces a manure rich in that element also. The difference in 
feed is forcibly illustrated in Table II. The potash, phosphoric 
acid and nitrogen drop decidedly in Nos. 31, 32, 34, and 36, which 
are from sheep pastured on native grasses. No. 30 is also low in 
these constituents, but for another reason. It had been dumped 
into a slough and had every chance to leach out. The sample was 
taken with the idea that it was as badly taken care of as any which 
came under observation. 
Our Manures Lack Moisture. 
The most noticeable difference between the standard analysis 
and the analyses as given in Table II is the low percentage of mois¬ 
ture. Not one is as high as the average analysis, and but few ap¬ 
proach it. The average of the moisture determinations given in 
Table II is 53.115 percent which is 13.285 percent below that of the 
average analysis. These figures bring prominently before us the 
fact that our manures are comparatively very dry. 
Soluble Ash. 
In dividing the ash into soluble and insoluble ash, it was thought 
that an increase in the soluble portion would be found as the manure 
increased in age. We know that the insoluble organic matter is 
being constantly changed in form and much of it rendered soluble, 
but from a consideration of Table II, one is forced to the conclusion 
that the soluble ash is rather a constant quantity, not varying much 
from the average, 7.7 percent, except in a few instances. In the de¬ 
terioration experiment we had for the soluble ash: 
Fresh Manure_6.180 percent 
First year-8.890 percent 
Second year_7.468 percent 
Third year -7.695 percent 
These results are also very close together and seem to show that 
the manure can hold about 7 percent soluble matter, the rest being 
leached out. 
