24 | REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE i 
This with the three and seven-eighths cents already obtained, 
makes ten and five-twelfths cents daily per animal. Now the market 
value of the daily rations fed these eight animals was exactly one 
dollar, or 14.27 cents per cow, from which it is seen that the 
fertilizing constituents in the dung and urine equalled seventy- 
three per cent of the market value of the food fed. | 
The point which ‘appears to be so clearly established by the 
above experiment is one of such great importance to our farmers, 
that it will be the subject of more extended investigation in the 
future, for which we have excellent facilities, but at present it 
appears that the manure from fifty animals is worth yearly fully _ 
$1,900. 
It is intended by means of a windmill to raise the liquid manure 
from the reservoirs below the manure platform into a tank from 
which a sprinkling cart may be loaded for the distribution of this 
material over the fields, and comparative tests will be made with 
several crops for the purpose of determining the relative value 
of this compared with the solid manure and other fertilizing 
material. 
By means of a hose the contents of the tank may also be, from — 
time to time, as necessity requires, distributed over the mass of 
manure upon the platform, and during such periods, when evapora- 
tion shall exceed the rainfall, a convenient hydrant will supply a 
stream of water sufficient to prevent the decomposition and fer- 
mentation of the pile from proceeding to an injurious extent. 
If our farmers, who, to maintain or increase the fertility of 
their soils, are now accustomed annually to pay out large sums for 
commercial fertilizers may, as the result of these trials, learn that 
it is possible economically and practically to secure a supply of 
stable manure equal in value to sixty per cent of the market value 
of the several varieties of food fed to their animals, it would seem | 
that this information alone would many times over repay the i 
entire expense of their Experiment Station. 
Certain it is that no farmer who visits the Station but may him- 
‘self see the large quantity of valuable fertilizing material which, 
In nine cases out of ten, or ninety-nine out of 100, is wholly or 
mostly lost, saved by means not beyond his reach. It is an object 
lesson which does not fail to impress everyone who has recently — 
visited the Experiment Station. 
