Chapter VII: Farmyard Manure

Variation in its composition 223
Made up of three classes of constituents 224
_Solid excreta_--
Its nature 224
Difference in composition of the solid excreta of the
different farm animals 224
Causes of this difference 225
Percentage of manurial ingredients in solid excreta
of different animals 226
_Urine_--
Its nature 228
Variation in its composition 229
Causes of this variation 229
Manurial value of the urine of the different farm
animals 230
Percentage of the _organic matter_, _nitrogen_, and
_mineral substances_ in the food, voided in the
solid excreta and urine 232
Comparison of manurial value of total excrements of
the different farm animals 234
Nature of changes undergone by food in process of
digestion 235
_Litter_--
Its uses 236
_Straw_ as litter, and its qualifications 237
Composition of different kinds of straw 238
_Loam_ as litter 239
_Peat_ as litter 240
Comparison of properties of _peat-moss_ and _straw_ 241
The _bracken-fern_ as litter 241
_Dried leaves_ as litter 242
Manures produced by the different animals--
_Horse-manure_--
Amount produced 243
Its nature and composition 243
Amount of straw used for litter 244
Sources of loss on keeping 245
How to prevent loss 245
Use of "fixers," and the nature of their action 245
_Cow-manure_--
Amount produced 248
Its nature and composition 248
Amount of straw used as litter 248
Sources of loss on keeping 249
Advantages of _short dung_ 249
_Pig-manure_--
Amount produced 250
Its nature and composition 250
Amount of straw used as litter 251
_Sheep-manure_--
Amount produced 251
Nature and composition 251
Amount of straw used as litter 252
Methods of calculating amount of manure produced on
the farm 252, note
Fermentation of farmyard manure--
Action of _micro-organic_ life in producing fermentation 255
Two classes of _bacteria_ active in this work, _aerobies_
and _anaerobies_ 255
Conditions influencing fermentation--
_Temperature_ 256
_Openness to the air_ 256
_Dampness_ 257
_Composition of manure_ 257
Products of fermentation 257
Analyses of farmyard manure--
Dr Voelcker's experiments 259
Variation in composition 259
Amounts of _moisture_, _organic matter_
(containing _nitrogen_), and _mineral matter_ 260
Its manurial value compared with _nitrate of soda_,
_sulphate of ammonia_, and _superphosphate_ 260
Comparison of fresh and rotten manure--
The nature and amount of loss sustained in the process of
_rotting_ 261
Ought manure to be applied _fresh_ or _rotten_? 262
Relative merits of _covered_ and _uncovered_ manure-heaps 263
Methods of application of farmyard manure to the field--
Merits and demerits of the different methods 265
Setting it out in _heaps_ 265
Spreading it _broadcast_, and letting it lie 266
Ploughing it in immediately 267
Value and function of farmyard manure--
As a supplier of the necessary elements of plant-food 268
As a "universal" manure 269
Proportion in which _nitrogen_, _phosphoric acid_, and
_potash_ are required by crops 269
Proportion in which they are present in farmyard manure 270
Farmyard manure _poor in nitrogen_ 270
Lawes' and Gilbert's experiments 271
How it may be best reinforced by the use of "artificials" 271
Indirect value of farmyard manure as a supplier of
_humus_ to the soil 273
Its influence on soil-texture 273
Its influence in setting free inert fertilising matter
in the soil 274
Rate at which farmyard manure ought to be applied 275
Lasting nature of farmyard manure 276
Its economic value 276