| When put up, Nov. 3, 1854. | April 30, 1855. | Aug. 23, 1855. | Nov. 15, 1855. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 66.17 | 80.02 | 70.09 | 65.56 |
| * Soluble organic matter | 2.48 | 1.16 | .49 | .42 |
| Soluble inorganic matter | 1.54 | 1.01 | .64 | .57 |
| † Insoluble organic matter | 25.76 | 11.46 | 10.56 | 9.94 |
| Insoluble mineral matter | 4.05 | 6.35 | 18.22 | 23.51 |
| 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | |
| * Containing nitrogen | .149 | .08 | .06 | .03 |
| Equal to ammonia | .181 | .69 | .07 | .036 |
| † Containing nitrogen | .494 | .45 | .35 | .36 |
| Equal to ammonia | .599 | .54 | .42 | .46 |
| Total amount of nitrogen | .643 | .53 | .41 | .39 |
| Equal to ammonia | .780 | .63 | .49 | .496 |
| Ammonia in free state | .034 | .010 | .012 | .0006 |
| Ammonia in form of salts, easily decomposed by quicklime | .088 | .045 | .051 | .030 |
| Total amount of organic matter | 28.24 | 12.62 | 11.05 | 10.36 |
| Total amount of mineral substance | 5.59 | 7.36 | 18.86 | 24.08 |
The following table shows the composition of the manure, calculated dry:
TABLE SHOWING COMPOSITION OF EXPERIMENTAL HEAP (NO. III.), FRESH FARM YARD MANURE, SPREAD IN OPEN YARD, AT DIFFERENT PERIODS OF THE YEAR. CALCULATED DRY.
| When put up, Nov. 3, 1854. | April 30, 1855. | Aug. 23, 1855. | Nov. 15, 1855. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| * Soluble organic matter | 7.33 | 5.80 | 1.64 | 1.21 |
| Soluble inorganic matter | 4.55 | 5.05 | 2.14 | 1.69 |
| † Insoluble organic matter | 76.15 | 57.37 | 35.30 | 28.86 |
| Insoluble mineral matter | 11.97 | 31.78 | 60.92 | 68.24 |
| 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | |
| * Containing nitrogen | .44 | .42 | .20 | .10 |
| Equal to ammonia | .53 | .51 | .24 | .12 |
| † Containing nitrogen | 1.46 | 2.28 | 1.17 | 1.09 |
| Equal to ammonia | 1.77 | 2.76 | 1.41 | 1.32 |
| Total amount of nitrogen | 1.90 | 2.70 | 1.37 | 1.19 |
| Equal to ammonia | 2.30 | 3.27 | 1.65 | 1.44 |
| Ammonia in free state | .10 | .05 | .040 | .0017 |
| Ammonia in form of salts, easily decomposed by quicklime | .26 | .225 | .171 | .087 |
| Total amount of organic matter | 83.48 | 63.17 | 36.94 | 30.07 |
| Total amount of mineral substance | 16.52 | 36.83 | 63.06 | 69.93 |
I have made out the following table, showing what would be the changes in a heap of 5 tons (10,000 lbs.) of manure, spread out in the yard, so that we can readily see the effect of this method of management as compared with the other two methods of keeping the manure in compact heaps, one exposed, the other under cover.
The following is the table:
CONTENTS OF THE MASS OF MANURE, SPREAD OUT IN FARM-YARD, AND EXPOSED TO RAIN, ETC.
| When put up, Nov. 3, 1854. | April 30, 1855. | Aug. 23, 1855. | Nov. 15, 1855. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total weight of manure | 10,000 | 8,350 | 6,130 | 5,750 |
| Water in the manure | 6,617 | 6,922 | 4,297 | 3,771 |
| Total organic matter | 2,824 | 1,092 | 677 | 595 |
| Total inorganic matter | 559 | 636 | 1,155 | 1,384 |
| Total nitrogen in manure | 64.3 | 45.9 | 25 | 22.4 |
| Total soluble organic matter | 248 | 100 | 30 | 24 |
| Insoluble organic matter | 2,576 | 992 | 647 | 571 |
| Soluble mineral matter | 154 | 87 | 39 | 33 |
| Insoluble mineral matter | 405 | 549 | 1,116 | 1,351 |
| Nitrogen in soluble matter | 14.9 | 6.9 | 3.6 | 1.7 |
| Nitrogen in insoluble matter | 49.4 | 39 | 21.4 | 20.7 |
It is not necessary to make many remarks on this table. The facts speak for themselves. It will be seen that there is considerable loss even by letting the manure lie spread out until spring; but, serious as this loss is, it is small compared to the loss sustained by allowing the manure to lie exposed in the yard during the summer.
In the five tons of fresh manure, we have, November 3, 64.3 lbs. of nitrogen; April 30, we have 46 lbs.; August 23, only 25 lbs. This is a great loss of the most valuable constituent of the manure. Of soluble mineral matter, the next most valuable ingredient, we have in the five tons of fresh manure, November 3, 154 lbs.; April 30, 87 lbs.; and August 23, only 39 lbs. Of soluble nitrogen, the most active and valuable part of the manure, we have, November 3, nearly 15 lbs.; April 30, not quite 7 lbs.; August 23, 3½ lbs.; and November 15, not quite 1¾ lbs.