_Straw_ as litter, and its qualifications 237 Composition of different kinds of straw 238 _Loam_ as litter 239 _Peat_ as litter 240 Comparison of properties of _peat-moss_ and _straw_ 241 The _bracken-fern_ as litter 241 _Dried leaves_ as litter 242 Manures produced by the different animals-- _Horse-manure_-- Amount produced 243 Its nature and composition 243 Amount of straw used for litter 244 Sources of loss on keeping 245 How to prevent loss 245 Use of "fixers," and the nature of their action 245 _Cow-manure_-- Amount produced 248 Its nature and composition 248 Amount of straw used as litter 248 Sources of loss on keeping 249 Advantages of _short dung_ 249 _Pig-manure_-- Amount produced 250 Its nature and composition 250 Amount of straw used as litter 251 _Sheep-manure_-- Amount produced 251 Nature and composition 251 Amount of straw used as litter 252 Methods of calculating amount of manure produced on the farm 252, note Fermentation of farmyard manure-- Action of _micro-organic_ life in producing fermentation 255 Two classes of _bacteria_ active in this work, _aerobies_ and _anaerobies_ 255 Conditions influencing fermentation-- _Temperature_ 256 _Openness to the air_ 256 _Dampness_ 257 _Composition of manure_ 257 Products of fermentation 257 Analyses of farmyard manure-- Dr Voelcker's experiments 259 Variation in composition 259 Amounts of _moisture_, _organic matter_