The principles of manuring; an application of chemistry to agriculture by Vivian Alfred 1867-

Author:Vivian, Alfred, 1867- [from old catalog]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Manures, Fertilizers
Publisher: [Columbus, Ohio, Cott's quick printing house
Published: 1904-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

Tabi^e; Showing Total Amount of Materials Fed with Dry Matter and Fertilizing Constituents.

While the totals given in the table shov/ the amounts of fertilizing constituents in the feeding stuffs used during the year, it will be remembered that only 80 per cent of this amount is recovered in the excrement. The solid and liquid excrement combined, therefore, contain of nitrogen 8,958.47 pounds, phosphoric acid 3,483.50 pounds, and potash 7,982.77 pounds.

The manure, however, contains the fertilizing constituents of the bedding in addition to that found in the excrement. It has been stated that the least amount of bedding that will absorb the urine must contain dry matter equivalent to one-fourth the dry matter in the ration. The dry matter in the bedding used in this example, therefore, must amount to 135,316.8 pounds. To furnish this quantity of dry matter it will be necessary to use at least 154,647.7 pounds of wheat straw. If the amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash in this weight of straw are added to that in the excrement the results will express the quantities of these ingredients found in the manure. The following table gives these data:

Fertilizing Constituents of the Manure.

The prevaling prices of fertilizing materials at the present time, as given by the Eastern experiment stations,

are such that the purchaser pays at the rate of 15 cents per pound for nitrogen, and 5 cents each for phosphoric acid and potash. These prices hold only when crude materials are bought and much higher prices are paid for mixed fertilizers. To determine the value of the manure produced by the fifty cows it is only necessary to multiply the totals in the last table by the trade prices of the constituents. These calculations are given below:

Value of Manure from 50 Cows.

Value of nitrogen SI,455 16

Value of phosphoric acid 191 19

Value of potash 447 85

Total value of manure.. .52,094 20

This means that the fresh manure from the fifty cows would contain amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash that would cost the farmer at least $2,094.22 if purchased in commercial fertilizers. How nearly the actual agricultural value of the manure will approach the trade value depends on a number of conditions, such as the crop to be fed, the physical condition and tilth of the soil, the climatic conditions, and above all the intelligence displayed in its care and use. The same statements apply, however, to commercial fertilizers, the trade price not necessarily being any indication of the agricultural value of the material, and there is no doubt that the farmer who receives the best returns from commercial fertilizers is also the one who will be best repaid for the use of barnyard manure. Whatever the reader's opinion may be of the actual value of manure, the figures evolved in this calculation should impress him with the fact that his ma-

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