--+------------+----------+-----------+
| Weight of manure in lbs. | 3258 | 1613 | 1297 | 1235 |
| +----------+------------+----------+-----------|
| Water | 2156.0 | 917.6 | 563.2 | 514.5 |
| Dry Matter | 1102.0 | 695.4 | 733.8 | 720.5 |
| +----------+------------+----------+-----------|
| Consisting of-- | | | | |
| Soluble organic matter | 80.77 | 74.68 | 53.56 | 66.28 |
| " mineral matter | 50.14 | 54.51 | 39.55 | 54.68 |
| Insoluble organic matter | 839.17 | 410.24 | 337.32 | 341.97 |
| " mineral matter | 131.92 | 155.97 | 303.37 | 257.57 |
| +----------+------------+----------+-----------+
| Total nitrogen | 20.93 | 19.26 | 16.54 | 1.79 |
| Equal to ammonia | 25.40 | 23.33 | 20.08 | 2.81 |
+--------------------------+----------+------------+----------+-----------+

The loss of nitrogen is here comparatively trifling, and during the
whole year, but little exceeds two pounds, of which the greater part
escapes during the first six months, and the soluble inorganic matters
are almost unchanged. The total weight of the manure, however, undergoes
a very great reduction, due chiefly to evaporation of water, but in part
also to the loss of organic matters evolved in the form of carbonic acid
during fermentation.

When the manure is spread out, as it is usually found under cattle in
open yards, the deterioration is very great, a quantity thus treated
having lost, in the course of a year, nearly two-thirds of its nitrogen,
and four-fifths of its soluble inorganic matters.

The general conclusion deducible from these analyses is that, provided
it be carefully prepared, farm-yard manure does not differ very largely
in value, although the balance is in favour of the well-rotten dung.
This result is in accordance with that obtained by other experimenters,
who have generally found from 0.5 to 0.6 per cent of nitrogen, and 1 or
2 per cent of phosphates. But when carelessly managed, it may fall
greatly short of this standard, as is particularly seen in a sample
examined by Cameron, which had been so effectually washed out by the
rain, as to retain only 0.15 per cent of ammonia. These cases, however,
are exception