366 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Ocr., 1901. 
Let us then find out what mineral elements go to build up the corn (maize) 
plant and its yellow grain. Now, the chemist begins by saying that the plant 
is made up of 1,000, 100, 50, or 25 parts of the various elements. ‘Then he 
finds out how many parts of each of these are required to combine to produce 
the plant and its fruit, and the result is this :— 
Stalk. Grain, 
"A'shwyiee — ay RE 12°3 
Potash ioe ox: ANGE + 3°é 
Soda ... ue 05 0:2 
Magnesia 2°6 1:8 
Lime re 5:0 03 
Phosphoric acid 8:8 55 
Sulphuric acid 2°5 OL 
Silica = tbo WAS) 03 
Sulphur sec ait) 39 1-2 
100°0 ah 25°0 
Now, we will not, at this stage, say any more on the subject of analysis. 
I merely gave you this example to show you that it is possible to find out what 
a plant requires for its well-being, and in the same way the chemist can “analyse” 
the soil of your farm, and tell you exactly what is wanting in it. So, when you 
know that, you know what particular manure to put into it, and thus can save a 
great deal more money than it cost you to get the information from the 
chemist. 
Now, let us get back to farmyard manure. Farmyard manure is what is 
called a “‘ general” manure. It furnishes to the soil all the plant food required 
by crops. The difficulty, however, with it is that such a quantity of what may 
be called useless matter is carted on to a field with it. In 100 lb. of good, well- 
rotted farmyard manure there are 75 Ib. of water, but when well-rotted it 
contains that very necessary element, nitrogen, and other elements all ready 
for the roots to seize and feed upon at once. Besides this, it contains many of 
them which are not ready for the plant, but which become ‘soluble’ by 
degrees, and thus there is continuous food for the plants during the whole time 
of their growth. 
Remember that all farmyard manures are not equally valuable. Zhe best 
of all is that from the horse stables, and the reason is this: The food taken by 
the cow, or bullock, or sheep has to assist in producing milk or fat. The con- 
sequence is that some of the best portions of the food are retained by those 
animals, and the manure from them is therefore not so rich as that from the 
horse, which has not been bred for fattening or for producing milk. A. good 
manure will ‘ deeompose”—that is to say, will ro¢ quicker than a poor one. A 
manure that decomposes slowly is therefore not so hot as one that decomposes 
quickly. Horse manure decomposes rapidly, sheep manure slower but quicker 
than cattle manure, and the manure from the pigsty slower than all. Now, if 
you want to get good crops from applying farmyard manure, you must be very 
careful how you treat it. 
You see careless farmers leaving the sweepings of the stable in a heap 
outside the building, or they allow their horses to wander about a yard covered 
with straw, and in wet weather the whole place is knee-deep in mud, and in 
dry weather the straw and manure are like so much chaff and dust. Do you 
know what is happening to the manure in both these cases ? 
In the first place, the liquid part of the manure drains out of the heap and 
runs away. Has it carried anything with it? You need only look at the 
trickling black stream to answer—Yes, something. 
Well, what is that something? It is the very best part of the manure, 
which was soaked up in the stable, and is worth twice as much as the solid 
parts. Then, when the manure is allowed to dry up in the open air, it loses 
a very valuable element by what is called “evaporation.” You have perhaps 
