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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m*thode. \ t : !" 2 3 22X 1 2 3 4 5 6 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM OTTAWA, CANADA BARN-YAIiD MANURE ITS NATURE, FUNCTIONS, COMPOSITION, FERMENTATION PRESERVATION AND APPLICATION BY FRANK T. SHUTT, M.A. Chemist, Dominion Experimental Farms I i BULLETIN I^o. 31 DECEMBER, 1898 PUDLLSHKD iuv r,II,Krr,oN OK THK HoN. SviJNKV A. Kls„El< .MiNlsTKK OK AGlUfLLTLKK :; Kil m t. r if To the Honourable The Minister of Agriculture. SiK,-I herewith submit for your approval Bulletin No. 31 of the Expenmental Fan. series, on Bam-yard Manure, which has been prepared under my direction by the Chemist of the Experimental Farms, Mr. Frank T. Shutt. "ncniai m thods of usmg ,t, are subjects of great importance to farmers. Too often here is more or less carelessness in connection with the hand- hng of th. valuable fertilizer, which invariably results in considerable The facts presented in this bulletin regarding the nature, composi- ^on preservation and application of bam-yard manure off r convin- cmg proof of the necessity of close attention to this matter andTis oped that, by thus bringing prominently forward the e.or's in pi ^ tice, so common among some Canadian farmers in regard to the care and stonng of this useful fertilizer such reformation may b b oug about as will result in much benefit. ^ I have the honour to be, . • Your obedient servant, WM. SAUNDERS, Director Experimental Farms. Ottawa, ist December, 1898. Tl Tl 4 CONTENTS Bam-yard inanuip. the fanner's home supply uf plant food Wa.st..ful n.-glect of, common throughout the country Soil fertility, the factors necessary for plant growth - Light and air Warmth and moisture Good tilth The eoni|)osition of soils- Organic constituents Inorganic do Harn-yard manure, its nature and comixjsition "... Solid and licjuid excreta, their composition Factors inHuencing the comiJosition of the excreta Amount and value of manure produced by horse, cow, sheep, pigs and cal v. ConiiK)sitiou of manure in general Poultry maiuire Litter, straw, moss litter, air-dried swamp muck The preservation and application of manure— The causes, conditions and results of fermentation Exjieriments in rotting manure Loss of fertilizing constituents in the rotting of manure \\' Leaching, losses by Composition of leachings Losses in the stable The relative merits of rotted and fresh manure ■ The drying out of manure on the field The frequency of application of manure Vm.v. 8 . 8 « 9 10 11 13 14 l(i 18 19 19 21 23 25 2G 2(J 2r 27 28 29 BARN- YARD MANURE ITS NATURE, FUNCTIONS, COMPOSITION, FERMENTATION, PRESERVATION AND APPLICATION Bt Fkank T. Sddtt, M.A., F.I.C., F.C.S., Chemist, Dominion Experimental Farina. There is certainly no subject in connection with farming of greater interest and importance than that of barn-yard manure. In this ne- cessary and natural bye-product of every farm, the agriculturist should recognize his home supply of plant food, the chief means by which he may maintain and increase the fertility of his soils. That this truth is not fully realized ' evident from the wasteful neglect so frequently to be seen in the ;afe of manure upon our farms throughout the countrj'. Through carelessness or ignorance, or both, the most valu- able part of the manure— because the richest in available plant food- is allowed to drain away, finding its way finally to the creek or river, or, to the danger of the health of the household or stock, into the well. We believe, therefore, that the dissemination of knowledge regarding the composition and nature of farm manures and the care they should receive will be timely and lead to greater economy in the management of those stores of fertility annually produced upon the farms of Can- ada. Soil Fertility. The Factors Necessary for Plant Growth.— Since the object in apply- ing barn-yard manure— or, indeed, any manure— is to increase a soil's fertility, it is important to have a clear understanding at the outset as to what constitutes this quality or condition. A soil's fertility, or crop-producing power, is dependent upor various factors, chief among i'^ :j I ^ ai that ,s, „,ore or less nnniediately soluble-plant food. There are however other actors or conditions that tend toward soil-product ve ne.s, and smce barn-yard nianure, besides supplying the elements for the nourishment of crops, affects directly o indirectly tfe e condi t.ons, .t will be well to consider them, if only briefly Light and Air.~ln the absence of light and air, plants cannot thrive or whde the latter supplies the greater portion of their nourishm n ' the former serves to convert such within the plant into vegetable sub-' stances Since, however, light and air are abund-.nlly provided bv iStLT'luncti^oL"^^^^^^^^ '- '' '-' ^^ - •-^^•' --'- It is, however, important to point out that roots, as well as leaves require a,r. Waterlogged, badly drained soils and heav^plas i Cay; excluoe the a,r. and consequently have a low degree of fer i? ty B^n yard manure and all organic manures do signal service for such soils by rendering them more porous and permeable to air the^LTeSf;''f '""' °'-''^''' '' "'" °"'^ ""^ "^•^^-^'•y '- «tate that the full effect of manure ,s not obtained when crops are too thicklv cZ" C." rr""' ;""^^"'°" '' ^^'^ '^ ^'^^^^^'l 'y the Indian corn o Teal S«f LT "^'.^k'"'"^"^^ ^"^^ ^'^"^^'^ ^'-t th^ ^--nt of real cattle food furnished by, say, an acre of corn sown broadcast Warmth and Moisture.-mt\. these also the control of the farmer IS only indirect. It is, nevertheless, well to remember that jud cbu culture may vastly increase and also regulate a soil's warmti (so ne cessary especially in seed germination and the youngeT stages of growth), as well as affect beneficially its capacity for'holding nSre ?f '' f .V, , '"^^^^hich IS transpired through the leaves during the he of the plant, is drawn by the roots from the soil. The presence of organic matter, as furnisiied, for instance, by barn-yard manure s instrumental in controlling a right degree of soH moisture d'rTng s'el sons of drought, and by its fermentation raises the soil's temperfture. f. otl^^J'^'^r^'^'y ""'"^ "^ '"°'''''" '^'"^ *° ^^"°t^ that suitable and favourable physical or mechanical condition of soil which is the result of judicious culture and the application of manures, the writer ha been obliged to use the expression "good tilth." This, we acknowl edge, is a somewhat new application of the word tilth, but it is one 1 ' sand tl,at nci„K.M,o,.,s '^^"^r^!::^'^^' '''' T' ^"" ^"^^"^ a peaty or swan,,, soil practicX , . "" '■°"^''"''' *" P'«"t5, ti-sc can bo sa./l to 1. „ goo " tl [.r'T "^.^^'^ "^'' ■^^"•'-""- '^^ vated that air is prosx^n C ee : . '"'""'''^' "'•"*^'' ^"^ «° ^"'^i- abson^tive capacity fo n u ^ "," ""^■''^' ^'"' P°^--" ^ ^-^ ^vitlml a certain finnness such a' T , " '■"°' '•^^•■^"■^''^" '■»"'' y^^ Draining, plou^lnu^^r^"::t"7 ''' ^^''^ ^° '-' '» ,.ood tilth, object the in,,rovc„'e,o ';;"'?' '"'' '"^ '"<^ ''^^^ ^^^ their directly the liberation of s ^ ,' Tk • ^,:"'"^'«'; "^ ^'^ -''- a- a in- essential for soil betterment T '"'" '^'''' operations are presence of hunu. rT ^ c lee ;"7r " "^ '''"'' '"^^■^^'^^' ""^^ ^^e -tter. is a necessary fal t^a rl^ ^^3^^^^ °^ rl'^^^ "^^f"*^ therefore, that the structure or texture nf T , '^' J' '"' ev»'ent. well as its supply of plant Ll .? ""' '""'' ^" ''"'"'-^d' «« chcnucal conditl . of f ^oi, " ;t "oH " ""'" '" ^^''>'^'^''" ^"^ viewed from the standpoint of f t i/ '"""■"" '"'"''""' ^"'' ^^^''' separably connected '' ""' ■""■"'''^^''>'' ^^'^ "'^^ ^^X' '"- 7/'f Composition of Soils aMI f..rfii,. -i portion of a soil is that which hn. h,-..,, f , , ""^'^*''- ^'^^ organic Humus has been called "the snir= =fr^,-,i, c ■ „t„ ^ . . , >-o'"-u uie sou s storehouse of n tro"eii " Thic by mtnfication, a process resulting from the activi y of cer^"n m ro scopic plants or microbes within the soil which live upon and decern pose the organic matter there present. Recent research h. 1 that soil fertility is largely dependent up n t .e Te e- of tre microbes. Warmth, moisture, and air are'primarilyTe " aVor t" deveo ,„, reproduction of these micro-organisms: h/ othe words, tor the niinncalion of the humus. Certain bases also, such as hme and potash, must be present in the soil, so that as a result of th! 2 : M 10 process nitrates may be formed — inorganic compounds which crops absorb by their rootlets for their supply of nitrogen. Bam-yard manure introduces into the soil those microscopic organisms in large quantities, a quality not possessed by chemical fertilizers. Analysis has shown that the amounts of humus and nitrogen are, generally speaking, closely related, and that tlie former is a measure of the latter. A soil poor in humus is likely to be deficient in nitrogen. Fertile soils in temperate zones are always characterized by richness in humus and nitrogen. The colour of a soil frequently indicates its quality in this respect, dark brown and black soils possessing large percentages of these constituei.ts. There arc, however, exceptions to this, as the presence of much red oxide of iron, (as in some sandy soils) may mask the colour of the humus. The sources of humus in cultivated soils are practically three, the decaying roots of crops, barn-yard manure, and "green crops," such as clover, turned under. This last has of recent years become recognized as an economical method for enrichment of the soil m humus and nitrogen. In addition to nitrogen, humus contains certain small quantities of inorganic plant food, such as lime, potash and phosphoric acid. These are liberated by the decay of the humus in forms most useful to plant nutrition. The mechanical benefits to be derived from humus, we have already referred to. It is only necessary here to empliasize the value of barn- yard manure — a material rich in nitrogenous organic matter — in this connection. In comparing farm manures with commercial fertilizers, this is a point frequently overlooked. Inorganic Constituents. — In furnishing or replacing in the soil min- eral or inorganic plant food, practice has shown that as a rule itsufifices to supply three elements — potash, phosphoric acid and lime. Others are used by crops, l)ut the amounts so used are so small that the soil's store of them is not seriously diminished by cultivation. Potash, phos- phoric acid and nitrogen are known as the essential elements of plant fo^'d, from the fact that it is continually necessary to return them in available forms if soil fertility is to be maintained and increased. For many soils, lime must be added to this list. The mineral constituents come originally, as alread\- stated, from the rocks that form the base of the soil. They are being consSintlv removed by cropping. Thus, a four years' rotation of wheat, barley, 11 . potatoes and hav will rpmnvp t^o^ „ . ful and important functions of barn vard manL . 7"°"' "''" plants, known as microbes. "' microscopic Barx-vard Manure: its Nature and CoMrosmoN benefit-cbiefl, in ^^n!^ ^f SmS ^Cf^r^ ^ ^ nved from tillag:e operations generally. Cult vi io tv meH ," process that increase soil fertility would by ZTT ■ '""''''^"'^^l manuring. This old meaning, 1 Lrer ha'na^^ i",^^"^' of the ten. manure is now festHcted^^^;^ r^tri.l"^ onV^^ more of the essential elements nitrncrp„ „i.^ , • ^"^'".^'"'"ff one or In quite recent times, the tenn "tertiiiUr" 1,,. r '' '''''""■ less exclusively, for chemical and mS su s'ncr "" '■""'^ "' food snci, as nitrate of soda, super^hllZTlZ^t"' fT word^«.a„ure.. Has becotne practically s/„ony.o\T:;,H".^Bary:rd used in Ihtir bedding. '"S^""" "■* "-e straw or other litter pii / I n The agricultural value of any sample of manure will depend pri- niarily and chiefly upon the amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash it contains, and, secondarily, upon the solubility or availability of these fertilizing- constituents and the amount of organic matter (which will form humus in the soil) it possesses. The solid excreta (dung) consists of the undigested portion of the food; the liquid excreta (urine) contains products resulting from the digestion of the food, in fact, that portion of tlie digested food that has done its work in the animal, but is not retained in the production of flesh, milk, wool, &c. Urine, weight for weight, has a greater manurial value than solid excrement, not only by reason of its larger percentages of plant food constituents (more especially nitrogen and potash), but also from the fact that these constituents are soluble, that is, are practically imme- diately available for the nutrition of crops. The nitrogen of urine (present as urea) is quickly converted into a valuable form of plant food, whereas the nitrogen of the undigested food in the solid excre- ment is but slowly changed into such compounds. In speaking of the relative values of solid and liquid excrement, it may be pointed out that " one-half, and frequently more " of the total nitrogen excreted by the animal is to be found in the urine. More than 90 per cent of the total potash is also present in the liquid excre- ment. The phosphoric acid and lime, save in the case of the horse, on the other hand, arc practically all in the dung. The composition and digestibility of the food will have much to do with the relative pro- portion of the fertilizing constituents in solid and liquid excreta. On this point Warington speaks as follows: — "If the food is nitrogenous, and easily digested, the nitrogen in the urine will greatly preponderate; if, on the other ! and, the food is one imperfectly digested, the nitro- gen in the solid excrement may form the larger quantity. When poor hay is given to horses, the nitrogen in the solid :^xcrement will some- what exceed that contained in the urine. On the other hand, corn and cake yield a large excess of nitrogen in the urine." • The composition of barn-yard manure, in other words, its value as a direct supplier of plant nutrition, will, therefore, depend not only upon the relative proportions of solid and liquid excreta and litter making up the whole, but also upon certain factors affecting the two former, which we may now consider. Solid and Liquid Excreta. The composition of tlie excreta will depend upon (i) the kind, (2) the food, (3) tlie age, and (4) the condition and function of the animal producing it. /CjjiJ.— Considering the farm stock, horses, sows, pigs and sheep, we find that, other things being equal, the analysis of the fresh solid excreta of these animals presents us with the following data, which, however, we must point out, should only be regarded as approximate. The food of the animal, as we shall presently see, has the greatest effect upon the composition of the resulting manure. i'i;i;('k\ta(;ks OK xiTitocjKN', i-hospiiokic acid axd po'ia^h i\ TUK FRESH SOLID KXCKEMKNT (DUNG). Alk.'llics, Water.; \in. K.n. ''''^^;^"''M\,t.;'h''mcl ' ' ■ : Soilii. Horses . . Cows , . . I'igs . . . . Shuep . 7<; I) •35 •2.5 •45 •()!) This places the dungs of the animals in the following order of value: Sheep, pigs, horses, cows. Similar data respecting urine may be tabulated as follows : — rEKCKNTAOKS OF NT'l'lilX MIX. I'lloslMIOUK ' ACID AXD I'OTA.SH IX THE FLUID EXCREMENT (URINE). Horses Cows . Pigs . . . Slieep Water. ' Nitrogen. , '''";;l;;r"'''^ ^I'ancl Acid. .Slid IL' !l-.' ■,s !t7-5 3 81) 5 14 ■ii; •05 So'i- 1-5 D4 2 The urine of the sheep is seen to be the most valuable, containing the largest amount of nitrogen and potash. That of the horse ranks next, with cow's and pig's follcv/ing in the order named. It will be noticed that the urine of animals is much richer in nitro- gen and potash th "i llie solid excrements, but it is practically destitute of phosphoric acid. COMPOSITION OF THK MIXKI, KXCKEMENTS (Ho.«MX..tm XiTiioi:i:N. I'liosi'iiDUic Acui, I'OTASH. Percent. H'erton.; IVr c-ut. | Per t.m. | Percent, 'pe, Horse, nii.\eilcx,.,-t.nieMt.s. Sliee|) ,, Pi? Lbs. roj 14 1 ■547 10 i) "1 : 14-2 ■:<7 7-4 l.hs. r ton. Llj.s. ■2.5 5 •i:<4 2 -(18 IIS ] (1 :i()4 tJOH ij 5(» ■87 17 4 •i;s no A study o this table will show horse manure and sheep manure to be very s.m.Iar m the amounts of nitrogen and phosphoric acid they contain, being richer in these elements than those from cows and pigs, vvith the exception of phosphoric ^cid in the case of the latter. It is also wortly of note that cow and horse manure supplement one an- other, the former being rich in potash, the latter in nitrogen and phos- phoric acid. Together they form a complete manure, furnishing in good proportions the three essential constituents of plant food. The following table, compiled by Heiden, a celebrated German au- thority, gives the averages of a very large number of analyses. COMPOSITION OF MIXFI) F.XCHKM FXT.S (IlKn.KN). Xitiic)i;k\. PiKisPiioiin. Acid, PuTASII. I'er cent. Per ton.j Per cent. ' Per ton. P.t cent. Per ton. r,hs. Hnrse, iin\e(i cxcrenieiits. . . () ].)o ••( Jf,""' " " ...'■34 to 44 (;',St(pS-,s 'l ^,'."■'1' " ■• ..., !• 18(1 r> ^'fe' " " ...| H to •{> 10(1-12(1 1 D.s. Lbs. '' '5 10 - " 8 it!() 10 (t 10 20(1 -' '• '5 10 From these averages it is also seen that the composition of farm- yard manure is materially affected by the proportion of cow to horse manure it contains. Factors I.xfluencing the Co.mposition of the Excreta. Food.— This is by far the most important factor in detemiining the fertilizing value of both the dung and the urine. The quality of the manure is chiefly dependent upon the quality oi the food con- sumed. The richer the food in albuminoids or flesh-formers the u richer will the manure be in nitrogen. The same statement will hold good regarding phosplioric acid and potash. Again, the digestibility of the diet has much to do with the quality of both the solid and liquid excrement. In this connection, we would refer to the quotation from Warington's " Chemistry of the Farm," already given on page 12. As showing this effect of diet upon quality and quantity of manure produced, we may insert the subjoined table containing results ob- tained at Rothamsted by Lawes and Gilbert. The figures are from an experiment with cows fed with mangels (a poor food), and lucenie or alfalfa hay (a feeding stuff rich in fertilizing elements): MAMiKl.s. Lri'KHNK Hay. Krt'sli Nhiniin pi'i' (lay. Walter F'liiispliiM-ic iU'id. I'otiisli i ^ Holid I ExcrciiKMit, 41; lll,S. Per cent. ■:{:; 24 •14 : I'riiii y^i Ills Solid Kxcrc?iiciit, 4Sll,s. ]'('!■ cent. Pit cent. or. !)4 •l-_>4 •on •5!)7 7! I 7(1 •M ■10 ■'Zi I'riiif, 11 lbs. Per cent. .H8-23 f54 (KXi lliilO The above data afford a striking illustration of the great influence of food. We may safely infer that manure from cattle wintered upon straw will not only be scanty as regards quantity, but also very poor in plant food. A liberal diet of nourishing food not only gives the best results as regards the stock, but also produces the richest manure. As the quality and quantity of the solid food affect the amount and composition of the excrements, so does the amount of water drunk. The more water that the animal takes, the poorer or more dilute •A'ill be the urine, but the inferior quality will be " largely compensated for by the increased quantity voided." Age. — Young and growing animals absorb a much larger percent- age of the fertilizing constituents of their food than do those that are mature or full grown. Stated approximately, we may say that from 50 to 75 per cent of the nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash of the food of the former will be found in the manure, from 90 to 95 per cent in that of the latter. Condition or Function of the Animal. — From the foregoing para- graph it might be inferred that according to the wants or requirements of the animal, so is the quality of the resulting manure. Such is found IG to be the case. The production of milk, flesli and wool makes a heavy demand upon the food, so that the manure of animals manufacturing these is poorer than similar animals that are not performing these functions. Mature animals at rest return practically all the fertilizing constituents of their food in their excrements. Cows in milk utilize about 25 per cent of the plant food elements in their diet, and their manure is consequently less ricli than that from fattening steers, which do not retain more than 10 per cent of such constituents. General Conclusions. — A consideration of the foregoing statements permits us to make the following sunmiary: — 1. That the manures, both solid and liquid, of the various farm ani- mals dififer in value, that is, in the proportions of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash they contain. i 2. Tiiat food is the most important factor in determining the value of the resulting manure; the richer the food, the richer the manure. The quantity voided also is largely dependent upon the amount of food consumed and water drunk. 3. That the manure of mature animals, other tilings being equal, is richer than that of young and growing stock. 4. That animals producing milk, wool, &c., make a greater draft upon their food than fattening stock or those which are mature and at rest or working. The manure of the fomier will not, consequently, be as rich as that of the latter. We have also learnt that of the nitrogen, phosphoric acid and pot- ash in the food supplied, by far the greater i)art (probal)ly, as a rule, about 80 per cent) is returned in the excrement. Further, that both in nitrogen and potash, urine is much richer than the solid excrement, but the latter contains practically all the phosphoric acid excreted. The greater value of the urine, by reason of the solubility of its plant food, has also been observed. This fact points to the advisability of using a sufficiency of litter or absorbents in the stable, &c., so that the solid and liquid excreta may be applied together to the soil, for the best results are undoubtedly obtained by such a method. I Amount and Value of Manure produced by Farm Animals. The amount of " dry matter " contained in the solid and liquid ex- crements is approximately one-half of tlie dry matter of the food con- sumed. The composition of this dry matter, respecting nitrogen, phosphoric acid and pr' sii, is largely dependent, as we have already seen VI ^ attji, Upon the percentages of these constituents in the food. The total quantity of manure produced depends upon tlie amount of food and water consumed by the animal. Some years ago investigations were made at the Cornell (N.Y.) Experiment Station to determine the amount and value of the manure produced by various farm animals when liberally fed and given a suffi- ciency of bedding. The results obtained, calculated to the basis of i,cxx) pounds live weight, are as follows: — Ainimnt pir Vtihio prv \'n\nr [Jcr day. day. ytiir. Sheep . Calv.H Pigs . . . Cows. . . Hor.s< !i . Lbs. .S4 I 07 '8 S3 (i 741 48'8 Cents. 7-2 (J 2 10 7 so 7 1) S cts. 2('< 0!t 2t 15 m ss •2:\ 27 27 74 The fertilizing constituents and value per ton of the above are given in the subjoined table. I Wut.T Xitro^'cii. Pluwiilioric Acid. Sheep. . Cs. li re.sults shinved that nndi-r tlie conilitions i>f the e\|)eriinent eoiisidi in^'redients had tahen plaee. (See Keport of the Farms, 1891!. ) The following table gives the average analysis of manure from the various farm animals. The manure in each case consisted of the excreta plus licdding: — (From Bulletin No. 56, Cornell Exp. Station) — ANALYSIS AM) VALUE PKH TO.N OF \.\KI()rs FARM MANLKES. Kind 1 f M in\ne. ■Number of E>.perinients. Nitro^'en. PI 1' osphorie Acid. er eent, :'.91 ■172 ■39 ■2'.t ■20 Potash. Per cent. .V.ll .f.32 32 •44 ■18 i Waler. •Value l)er ton. Sheep . 6 2 3 4 1 Per cent. ■7075 497 ■84 ■42(i •49 ' Per eent. .")9 52 77 73 74 13 75 25 4S 09 * CtB. 3 30 2 17 3 29 2 02 2 21 Pips. . Cows . . Horses "Valuing nitrogen at 16 '5 cents and i>ho8phoric ncid and potash at 45 cents per lb. 19 Poultry Manure. Though not a large asset on the ordinary farm, poultry manure is so rich that it well merits more attention than it now receives. As both the liquid and solid excreta are voided together, the result is a manure containing large percentages of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. Analysis and value per ton of poultry manure: ^ViiU-r per c'fiit. .-|(i (1 Niti-OKfii SioL'K l'liiis|ili(>i-i<' !ifi(l , r)tiiL'(t •'"t^i'^li „ S to !l \'iiluc, from ,S"i (10 to .'?.'<,. Ml The composition of the manure will depend largely on the character of the food: thus, that from hens fed with green bone and a mixture of grain will be more valuable tlian that from those fed with Indian corn exclusively. Hen manu.v uickly ferments and will lose much of its nitrogen if not preserved with absorbents. Lime and wood ashes should not be used for this purpose. Dry loam or muck, moss litter from peat bogs, road dust, are all useful absorbents fo.r the floor of the poultry house. Litter. The quantity and quality of the litter necessarily affects tlie com- position of che resultant manure; we may, therefore, briefly consider the nature of those materials commonly used to furnish farm animals a comfortable bedding and to absorb and retain the liquid excrement. The following data are given by Warington: — MANURIAUCOXSTITIKNTS J\ lOd I'AliTS OF LITTKU. XitroK^n. I ^''';(;(;!l','"*- l-ota^l.. Dead lta\<'H ,s o ■ ;i o ■ .*$ Straw ;, ,. 4t(j()(; (r2to"();i toVo Piiatiiioss 0-8 Tract". Trace. •*^ii"ili'st 0:>to0'7 03 0" ^I'l'iit tail Ootol-O . . i'«iit iotc)2o i ■; . i I I •::^' Straiv is the almost i -jrsal bedding rnterial. It, however, strongly resists fermentation, and hence its fenilizing constituents are 3 .1 t m not so valuable, pound for pound, as those in the excrements. Cut straw has a greater absorbent value than long straw. Moss litter is an excellent absorbent, holding many times its own weight of liquid. It is comparatively rich in nitrogen, and both chemical analysis and field results have shown it to produce a very valuable manure. The following table gives the composition of sev- eral samples of Canadian moss-litter as ascertained in the Farm laboratories: — ANA ^^ SIS ol' MOSS MI"I'KI!. I.)t'«i(?imtii>ii. Lui'.ility. Artitifhilly lirii'tl jMu.s<(ii:i>li, N. 1! OlM'ii nil- (Iricil .... I 11 " . . , . . Ui>i>or layer iKuHiij,'()iiii<, N. 1!. . . . II Iciosu I'oiiit ("hfv:il, N.r>.. Lower liiviT cimi|iiu;t ■. ■• . Hi^' I'hiin I'mik, X.S ■ 1 i NViKlou Ijuk, rv.S. . . MoiNtnre. ( Ash. I Nitr(ij,'iii. L'.'fOl 1 0(5 111 14 145 n-.'s (•XI i:i i"i:i L' litl M-T. 7-.^S l.-'T l-s lU 120 2 05 • >i 71 i')! ;w 4S .")-" .'J'.Hl I Alwiirjv ('ii|)at'it !)(l."> 1(10(5 1H;54 um I5;i:{ Air-dried swamp muck has also a high value, both for the nitrogen it contains and its power to absorb and retain the liquid excrement. As it occurs widely throughout the Dominion, its use in and about the farm buildings should bo more general than at present. It is in con- junction with straw that this material can be best employed as a litter, but it can also with advantage be mixed with ine manure in the barn- yard. The reports of the Cliemist of the Experimental Fanns during the past eight years contain the analyses of many samples of swamp muck and peat from various parts of Canada, and the data go to show that in these materials we have a vast store of plant food that might readily be made available. The following table shows the composition of average samples of Canadian swamp muck (air-dried). The data have been taken, with- out any special selection, from the reports of the Chemical Division, C. E. F.:— 21 ANALYSIS <»K SWANtI' MICK (Am i>hiki>). LfK'iilitv. Nitnigcn. MllttlT Victoriii. H.rj., (.'liilliwiiiiU, U.V I Alhcnii. li.O •■.•.■KiM.i, N.W.T Onipali, Out I'liillipsvill,., Out St. Williams Out ,. .' Sliiiw villc, l^iic St. Adi'liiiilf di' I':i1kw, (.^ili' liisliiipV < 'l<)ssiti(;, t^ue. ... j Niirtnii Stiiticiii, \. II Shi'ihiic, N.n Cliiilliiiiii. N.l! .. Aiitipiiiii>t liiiy, I'.K.I .Miii.'Jiiiri', 2 2H tiO 02 ' 2;« .T. 8 01 7!l U 1 !i:c 247 7177 i 17 r.!i I'fUl H'.l 22 11 !K> 2 :<7 till Ti!) 7-.H!l 1H7 ti,f| 22 n 72 I 01 :!l !I3 fj r.2 2 27 7;» '.•2 IH .-.u 230 (is riH ' \u m 1-7'! 77 tM 11. -.li 1 IN 78- (1(1 4 02 2 ir> t;ir:«t < 1(rO(> Id.-. 7.-. 1.-. l.-r01 2 111 M(» HO ■ r.H I H-2 7S'.Kt 12 K5 res 7r. ;u i 7 7ti I'HII 7;i 01 irf>7 •> r,4 ••,7 -HO ir«4 1 ji 7\ V.i ir. !)ti l''i-iiiii till- liot tiiiii (if a sli The Preservation and Application of Manure. Tlic Causes, Conditions and Results of Ucrnientation. — Feniientation, or rotting, is brought about by the agency of certain microscoi)ic plants known as bacteria. The extent of the fermentation, a process which necessarily means a greater or less loss of the organic matter and nitrogen of the manure, will depend chiefly upon the temperature, moisture and the amount of lir throughout the heap. Rotting is not a simple process, the decomposition that takes place resulting from the development of two classes of bacteria, (i) aerobic, or those requiring the oxygen of the air for their existence, and (2) anaerobic, or those which can develop in an atmosphere destitute of oxygen. As the conditions for their development are different, so are the compounds produced by their life functions. The manure on the top and sides of the heap is freely penneated by air. It is here that the aerobic fennents set up a combustion of the organic matter, which is burnt by union with the oxygen of the air in the interstices of the manure, forming carbonic acid. Much heat in consequence of this combustion is gen- erated. Fire-fanging is the result of excessive fermentation of this character, usually caused by lack of sufficient moisture. Lower in the heap, the heat • creases, since there the aerobic ferments cannot live for Vr'ant of air. The anaerobic ferment.s that thrive ?.t the hnttnm of the heap disengage marsh gas as well as carbonic acid, and produce but little heat. In the superficial layers the soluble carbo-hydrates MV % 22 (fU/ll, eti|f»r, &c.,) are burnt; in the I'f^'^er part of tlie licap, the cellu- lose or hbrc is principally decomposed. Bacteria are present in botli the solid and liquid portions of manures, but, as it has been already stated, it is more especially in the latter that they find a favourable medium for their prowth. Drenching the manure heap with the drainaj^e liciuid, therefore, not only affords the necessary moisture to retain the annnonia, but also introduces fer- ments which act beneficially. We have hitherto considered the action of the bacterial ferments on the non-nitrogenous compounds of manure. It now remains to be stated that the nitrogen of urine and dung may in part be lil)crated as free nitrogen or in part converted into ammonia and finally into nitrates by their agency. Tiie alkaline fluid produced by the solution of the ammonia in the liquids of the dung is able to dissolve unattacked nitrogenous substances both in the litter and dung, thus preparing for assimilation much plant nourishment otherwise valueless. Rotting or fermentation results in the breaking <' ,vn or destruction of organic structure in the dung and litter, hunius-forming materials being pro- duced. For this reason the mass of rotted manure is more uniform and homogeneous than fresli manure. Fermentation always entails a loss of organic matter; it also means an escape of a part of the nitrogen. The looser the pile, the greater will be the deterioration. Fire-fanging is injurious to the quality of n^nure, and results, as already remarked, chiefly from an insufficiency of moisture. Liquid excrement by itself rapidly loses in value, its nitrogen escaping as carbonate of ammonia. These facts point to the great desiral)ility of controlling fermcniation, (i) by fermeulLi.t; :he solid and liquid excreta together (this can only be accomrli.sbcfi by using a sufficiency of litter or absorbent), (2) by fermenting •■ hot ' and " cold " (horse and sheep excreta belong to the first class, that from the cow and pig are of the latter class) manures together, (3) by keep- ing; the h':?.p compact and moist, thus excluding excess of air. Fer- mentatioi: .i:5t be regulai:«d and controlled by these means or the losses th,-:.i • . .;•:; will ri" re than out-balance the benefi s to be gained. Weight k-r -^ -ighi, rotted i-roure is more valuable than fresh ma- nure. The lo:^ses f'uring fermeiication are principally in the destruction of the organic matter and loss of nitrogen and do not, under the best farm conditions, lead to much loss of phosphoric acid and potash. It niight be possible with a perfectly tight concrete floor to prevent all loss from drainage, but as the potash is extremely soluble it is impos- 2'.i sible without such tncaiis to pi vent some loss of this element. The decrcise ui weight that takes place, due chiefly to the combustion or burnintj^ away of the organic ni.itter, will depeiul upon the extent of the fermentation. Some of the nitrogen will always esc(i,)e, either in the free state or as anniionia, hut under right conditions of fermenta- tion the percentage of this element will always be found to be con- siderably greater in rotted than in fresh manure. The advantages gained by rotting may be enumerated briefly as fol- lows: — The manure becomes disintegrated and of uniform character throughout, allowing an easier and more unifonn di-tril)Ution in the field and a more intimate mixing with the soil ; the coarse litter is de- composed and its plant food thus made more availai le; compounds are formed from the organic matter that more readily Toduce humus within the soil; the availability of the nitrogen of the solid portion of the manure is increased; the phosphates are made mor • assimilable; there is less weight of manure to haul to the fields; the l.irger number of weed seeds that may be present are destroyed. Experiments in Rotting Manure. A number of experiments in the rotting of manure have leen made during the last three years at the Central Experimental Fan :, Ottawa. The results will be found in detail in the report of the chemist for 1898, but we may insert here some of the data, as they wili be of in- terest in this connection. The manure experimented with as com- posed of equal parts of horse and cow manure. Four ton of this mixed manure were placed in a weather-tight shed, and . ' equal amount placed exposed in outside box or bin, open to the eather, but with flooring and sides of wood in good condition and pr. tically water-tight (see illustration). These manures were weighed a 1 ana- lysed monthly for the period of a year. The more important results obtained have been summarized, and are contained in the fol.tnving table:— 1 f 24 i I !■-. — — I *> S •5 £ ^ (M CO o 5^ I w O C ^^ -^ cc t; H ?^ W H ! H' i 73 ' ?^ ; ~ CO ^* = t- ' * t-^ ro ^ — ? Ci X -f^lf u^ Cl UH — . ' */: « 13 y- -f. rt *ts C u jT -5 8 ■<^ bo C H r^ 1 bo o ^ i O ^ :4i -t- X % '^ 6 -ri '^ +2 "> 3 ii ♦^ j_, C "in -2 >*- " ^ " o (J r- ° i: - g S r- ■-. — cj rs *^ . » — ■ is c -^^ o g ^ >- r* y o rt "S, s rt c c c ^ "rt a .is uo Q «j C ■ti C rt I. W#\ -■ bjO c ♦; n .= ■ o . b/) be n u S - ^ ■" c- p ^ o 5 ^ o 2 I- g - ^ 2 ^ ^ C b£ '^ is 2 i C tfl o ^ S "S y oj £i ti -^ 3 I- rt ii -S .t; rt o ^ c c ":; "^ 3 - 8 I ^ J? 3 S5 ■*:; bb u c. -S tC r 3 ^ E ho B T 3 IS (J u t3 *j (J 42 k- ^— ' O a. ^ u c ^ n! S J3 . ^ E p l- 1; !" C U ■a *^ '£ rt rt O "1 o "" o 4J jj Oi , o c js E ^ S « ^ « C-" ±1 ^ c -" o .^ E sl^ fe. 8 E > "J _ l-i S3 . ^•| •o o "J . 0) .t; B S c _ ** C o -C X! 4-1 C 4_, 6/) S^'E S- ''^ "S "13 "3 rt P < E U •n Potash •03 18i) Thulfiicliiiii'of Miuinro. The prniil hiis hi-fu iirciilmt'il hy leatliing.iiKl ilniinage In.Tii tliepi'p .if iniinure upon Its further side. Buldlng and open bin umd In mnnure preservation oxpcrlmrnta. Men envagrd In ^anipllng nnd weighing mnnura, 27 When it is remembered that all this plant food is in solution, the great value of these drainings will be apparent. Though in many in- stances, owing to copious showers, the drainage water from the manure pile may not be so rich as those above recorded, it is evident that there must be a very large loss, especially in potash, every year from this cause on many farms. Losses in the Stable. — The readiness and rapidity with which urine decomposes has already been emphasized. The first loss from this cause, as well as from wasteful drainage, occurs in the stable and points to the economy of using there a tight floor and an absorbent that will fix and retain the volatile ammonia. Gypsum is such an absorbent, and used in conjunction with the bedding will be found a valuable preventive of loss of nitrogen. Dry swamp muck, an excel- lent absorbent, can also be recommended for the cow stable, pig pen or other places in and about the farm buildings where there is liquid manure likely to go to waste. By the use of such materials both the bulk of the manure may be increased and its quality improved. Care- ful experiments have shown that the loss in the stable often exceeds that in the manure pile; the use of absorbent will tend to reduce the loss in both places. Z30* I The Application of Manure. The Relative Merits of Rotted and Fresh Manures. — The advan- tages of rotted over fresh manure have already been studied ; it has also been s en, on the other hand, that even under a good system of preser- vation, rotting must be accompanied by loss of fertilizing constituents. Weight for weight, rotted manure is more valuable than fresh manure, containing larger percentages of plant food and having these elements in a more available condition, but the losses in rotting may, and fre- quently do, out-balance fwe benefits. Undoubtedly the safest store- house for manure is the soil. Once in the soil, the only loss that can occur is through drainage away of the soluble nitrates, and this is usually very slight, indeed it is not to be compared with the loss of nitrogen in th» fermenting manure heap. We, therefore, unhesitat- ingly say that the farmer who gets his manure while still fresh into the soil returns to it for the future use of his crops much more plant nourishment than he who allows the manure to accumulate in piles that receive little or no care, and which, therefore, must waste by excessive fermentation or leaching, or both. With regard to the respective effects of fresh and rotted manures en different classes of soil, it may be stated that fresh manure is better for 28 ■clays and heavy loams, since it does much to improve their physical condition by openmg them to the air and making them more friable. On the other hand, rotted manure is better suited to light and sandy soils, tending to make them more compact and retentive of moisture. Fresh manure may with advantage be used for crops which have a long season of growth, wiiile rotted manure, with its more available plant food, will give better results for such as gather their food and reach maturity during a shorter period. Excess of fresh manure tends to rankness of growth and the undue development of foliage, and is frequently the cause of "lodging" in grain and too much "top" or leaves in root crops. The Drying Out of Manure on the Field.-While considering the matter of the application of manure, we may take occasion to answer the question so frequently asked: does manure spread and allowed to dry out upon the field, lose any of its nitrogen? In 1892 we conducted some experiments which proved conclusively that the loss from vola- tilization of ammonia when the manure was spread in thin layers and allowed to dry out, was so very small that it could be disregarded It appears that in manure so treated, fermentation is at once arrested. The following are the results we obtained: LOSS OF NITROGEN IX FARMYARD MANURE BY l)RYIN(i OUT IV THIN LAYERS. No. Manure. 3 C B 1 Well idttMl ; after fennentation. J Before exjKWure. . . -515 : 103 • Aftt^i' -505 101 2 'Rotting; during fermentation. / "^f""' exirasure. . . i I, After ,, ... ■4!»0 •466 O l; O XI 01 9-8 9 3 024 Value at 17u. per lb $ cts. 1 75 1 72 1 67 1 58 The above data, of course, do not in any way contradict the .statement that great losses of plant food may, and often do, occur in the field. When fertilizing material washed from the spread manure is received by the soil, it is there retained for future crop use, but if the field, by reason of its location is subject to flooding, or the ground is frozen— preventing the percolation of the leachings— much of the best and most valuable part of the manure is undoubt°edly carried away and practically lost to the fanner. 29 The Frequency of Application.-Tht present opinion, a. jrathered rom expenence is that it is better rather to feed L crop L^fto ry on'ne™:dt'd 'o"'"'^ '" f''/'""^'^' °^ ^°"^^^' both 'aretti ^at ^ coZ si 1 ",1°"^ ''""°^ '^ ^'°"^ "'^^"^ i" - ■^••ge measure ac comphslimg the other. However, the princiole here It^^^A ^^- . / the advisability of light and frequent dres^ngs'^L t^n' iTvi ^ apphcations at longer intervals, and there can be no doubt but that IS more profitable to dress with ten tons every second year han to apply twenty tons every fourth year. ^ \ ^