DIFFERENT KINDS OF ANIMAL EXCREMENT.
The manures of different animals are, of course, of different value, as
fertilizers, varying according to the food, the age of the animals, etc.
STABLE MANURE.
By stable manure we mean, usually, that of the horse, and that of
horned cattle. The case described in chap. 2 (of this section), was one
where the animal was not increasing in any of its parts, but returned,
in the form of manure, and otherwise, the equivalent of every thing
eaten. This case is one of the most simple kind, and is subject to many
modifications.
[Is the manure of full-grown animals of the same quality as
that of other animals?
Why does that of the growing animal differ?
Why does not the formation of _fat_ reduce the quality of manure?
What does _milk_ remove from the food?]
The _growing_ animal is increasing in size, and as he derives his
increase from his food, he does not return in the form of manure as much
as he eats. If his bones are growing, he is taking from his food
phosphate of lime and nitrogenous matter; consequently, the manure will
be poorer in these ingredients. The same may be said of the formation of
the muscles, in relation to nitrogen.
The _fatting_ animal, if full grown, makes manure which is as good as
that from animals that are not increasing in size, because the fat is
taken from those parts of the food which is obtained by plants from the
atmosphere, and from nature, (_i. e._ from the 1st class of proximates).
Fat contains no nitrogen, and, consequently, does not lessen the amount
of this ingredient in the manure.
_Milch Cows_ turn a part of their food to the formation of milk, and
consequently, they produce manure of reduced value.
[How do the solid and liquid manure of the horse and ox
compare?
What occasions these differences?]
The solid manure of the horse is better than that of the ox, while the
liquid manure of the ox is comparatively better than that of the horse.
The cause of this is that the horse has poorer digestive organs than the
ox, and consequently passes more of the valuable parts of his food, in
an undigested form, as dung, while the ox, from chewing the cud and
having more perfect organs, turns more of his food into urine than the
horse.
RECAPITULATION.
FULL GROWN animals not }
producing milk, and full } make the best manure.
grown animals fattening }
GROWING ANIMALS reduce the value of their manure, taking portions of
their food to form their bodies.
MILCH COWS reduce the value of their manure by changing a part of their
food into milk.
THE OX makes poor dung and rich urine.
THE HORSE makes rich dung and poor urine.[AB]
NIGHT SOIL.
[What is the most valuable manure accessible to the farmer?
What is the probable value of the night soil yearly lost in the United
States?
Of what does the manure of man consist?]
The _best_ manure within the reach of the farmer is _night soil_, or
human excrement. There has always been a false delicacy about mentioning
this fertilizer, which has caused much waste, and great loss of health,
from the impure and offensive odors which it is allowed to send forth to
taint the air.
The value of the night soil yearly lost in the United States is,
probably, about _fifty millions of dollars_ (50,000,000); an amount
nearly equal to the entire expenses of our National Government. Much of
the ill health of our people is undoubtedly occasioned by neglecting the
proper treatment of night soil.
[Describe this manure as compared with the excrements of other
animals.
Does the use of night soil produce disagreeable properties in plants?]
That which directly affects agriculture, as treated of in this book, is
the value of this substance as a fertilizer. The manure of man consists
(as is the case with that of other animals) of those parts of his food
which are not retained in the increase of his body. If he be _growing_,
his manure is poorer, as in the case of the ox, and it is subject to all
the other modifications named in the early part of this chapter. His
food is usually of a varied character, and is rich in nitrogen, the
phosphates, and other inorganic constituents; consequently, his manure
is made valuable by containing large quantities of these matters. As is
the case with the ox, the _dung_ contains the undigested food, the
secretions (or leakings) of the digestive organs, and the insoluble
parts of the ash of the digested food. The _urine_, in like manner,
contains a large proportion of the nitrogen and the soluble inorganic
parts of the digested food. When we consider how much richer the _food_
of man is than that of horned cattle, we shall see the superior value of
his _excrement_.
Night soil has been used as a manure, for ages, in China, which is,
undoubtedly, one great secret of their success in supporting a dense
population, for so long a time, without impoverishing the soil. It has
been found, in many instances, to increase the productive power of the
natural soil three-fold. That is, if a soil would produce ten bushels of
wheat per acre, without manure, it would produce thirty bushels if
manured with night soil.
Some have supposed that manuring with night soil would give disagreeable
properties to plants: such is not the case; their quality is invariably
improved. The color and odor of the rose become richer and more delicate
by the use of the most offensive night soil as manure.
[What is the direct object of plants?
What would result if this were not the case?
How may night soil be easily prepared for use, and its offensive odor
prevented?]
It is evident that this is the case from the fact that plants have it
for their direct object to make over and put together the refuse organic
matter, and the gases and the minerals found in nature, for the use of
animals. If there were no natural means of rendering the excrement of
animals available to plants, the earth must soon be shorn of its
fertility, as the elements of growth when once consumed would be
essentially destroyed, and no soil could survive the exhaustion. There
is no reason why the manure of man should be rejected by vegetation more
than that of any other animal; and indeed it is not, for ample
experience has proved that for most soils there is no better manure in
existence.
A single experiment will suffice to show that night soil may be so kept
that there shall be no loss of its valuable gases, and consequently no
offensive odor arising from it, while it may be removed and applied to
crops without unpleasantness. All that is necessary to effect this
wonderful change in night soil, and to turn it from its disagreeable
character to one entirely inoffensive, is to mix with it a little
charcoal dust, prepared muck, or any other good absorbent--thus making
what is called poudrette. The mode of doing this must depend on
circumstances. In many cases, it would be expedient to keep a barrel of
the absorbent in the privy and throw down a small quantity every day.
The effect on the odor of the house would amply repay the trouble.
[Should pure night soil be used as a manure?
What precaution is necessary in preparing hog manure for use?]
The manure thus made is of the most valuable character, and may be used
under any circumstances with a certainty of obtaining a good crop. It
should not be used unmixed with some absorbent, as it is of such
strength as to kill plants.
For an analysis of human manure, see Section V.
HOG MANURE.
_Hog Manure_ is very valuable, but it must be used with care. It is so
violent in its action that, when applied in a pure form to crops, it
often produces injurious results. It is liable to make cabbages
_clump-footed_, and to induce a disease in turnips called _ambury_ (or
fingers and toes). The only precaution necessary is to supply the stye
with prepared muck, charcoal-dust, leaf-mould, or any absorbent in
plentiful quantities, often adding fresh supplies. The hogs will work
this over with the manure; and, when required for use, it will be found
an excellent fertilizer. The absorbent will have overcome its injurious
tendency, and it may be safely applied to any crop. From the variety and
rich character of the food of this animal, his manure is of a superior
quality.
[Why is the manure from butchers' hog-pens very valuable?
How does the value of poultry manure compare with that of guano?
How may it be protected against loss?]
_Butchers' hog-pen manure_ is one of the best fertilizers known. It is
made by animals that live almost entirely on blood and other animal
refuse, and is very rich in nitrogen and the phosphates. It should be
mixed with prepared muck, or its substitute, to prevent the loss of its
ammonia, and as a protection against its injurious effect on plants.
POULTRY HOUSE MANURE.
Next in value to night soil, among domestic manures, are the excrements
of poultry, pigeons, etc. Birds live on the nice bits of creation,
seeds, insects, etc., and they discharge their solid and liquid
excrements together. Poultry-dung is nearly equal in value to guano
(except that it contains more water), and it deserves to be carefully
preserved and judiciously used. It is as well worth twenty-five cents
per bushel as guano is worth fifty dollars a ton (at which price it is
now sold).
Poultry-manure is liable to as much injury from evaporation and leaching
as is any other manure, and equal care should be taken (by the same
means) to prevent such loss. Good shelter over the roosts, and daily
sprinkling with prepared muck or charcoal-dust will be amply repaid by
the increased value of the manure, and its better action and greater
durability in the soil. The value of this manure should be taken into
consideration in calculating the profit of keeping poultry (as indeed
with all other stock). It has been observed by a gentleman of much
experience, in poultry raising, that the yearly manure of a hundred
fowls applied to previously unmanured land would produce _extra_ corn
enough to keep them for a year. This is probably a large estimate, but
it serves to show that this fertilizer is very valuable, and also that
poultry may be kept with great profit, if their excrements are properly
secured.
The manure of pigeons has been a favorite fertilizer in some countries
for more than 2000 years.
Market gardeners attach much value to rabbit-manure.
SHEEP MANURE.
[What can you say of the manure of sheep?]
The manure of sheep is less valuable than it would be, if so large a
quantity of the nitrogen and mineral parts of the food were not employed
in the formation of wool. This has a great effect on the richness of the
excrements, but they are still a very good fertilizer, and should be
protected from loss in the same way as stable manure.
GUANO.
[Should the use of guano induce us to disregard other manures?
Where and in what manner is the best guano deposited?]
_Guano_ as a manure has become world renowned. The worn-out tobacco
lands of Virginia, and other fields in many parts of the country, which
seemed to have yielded to the effect of an ignorant course of
cultivation, and to have sunk to their final repose, have in many cases
been revived to the production of excellent crops, and have had their
value multiplied many fold by the use of guano. Although an excellent
manure, it should not cause us to lose sight of those valuable materials
which exist on almost every farm. Every ton of guano imported into the
United States is an addition to our national wealth, but every ton of
stable-manure, or poultry-dung, or night soil evaporated or carried away
in rivers, is equally a _deduction_ from our riches. If the imported
manure is to really benefit us, we must not allow it to occasion the
neglect and consequent loss of our domestic fertilizers.
The Peruvian guano (which is considered the best) is brought from
islands near the coast of Peru. The birds which frequent these islands
live almost entirely on fish, and drop their excrements here in a
climate where rain is almost unknown, and where, from the dryness of the
air, there is but little loss sustained by the manure. It is brought to
this country in large quantities, and is an excellent fertilizer,
superior even to night soil.
[How should it be prepared for use?]
It should be mixed with an absorbent before being used, unless it is
plowed deeply under the soil, as it contains much ammonia which would be
lost from evaporation. It would probably also injure plants. The best
way to use guano, is in connection with sulphuric acid and bones, as
will be described hereafter.
The composition of the various kinds of guano may be found in the
section on analysis.
FOOTNOTES:
[AA] The nitrogenous compound in the urine.
[AB] Comparatively.