Manures and the principles of manuringAikman, Charles Morton
Science
Manures and the principles of manuring
Aikman, Charles Morton
Fertilizers; Manures
A further source of nitrogen is bones, which, of course, are chiefly
valuable as a phosphatic manure, but which contain also some 3 to 4 per
cent of nitrogen. Of this valuable manure we import at present about
30,000 tons, while about 60,000 tons are collected in this country,
bringing up our total consumption to 100,000 tons.
_Other Nitrogenous Manures._
The above mentioned are the most important of nitrogenous manures; there
are, however, a number of other nitrogenous manures used in this country
in very much smaller quantities. As most of these substances are made in
this country, it is very difficult to estimate the amount of their
annual production with exactness. These substances are as follows:
fish-guano, meat-meal guano, dried blood, shoddy, scutch, horns and
hoofs, hair, bristles, feathers, leather-scrap, &c. Of fish-guano, the
total consumption per annum may be put down at about 8000 tons, of which
a fourth is imported into this country, the remaining 6000 tons being
manufactured at home. Of meat-meal guano, dried blood, hoof-guano, &c.,
about 2500 tons are annually imported, the home production bringing up
the total amount to some 10,000 tons. Of shoddy, some 12,000 tons are
manufactured in this country; while scutch--the name given to a manure
manufactured from the waste products incidental to the manufacture of
glue and the dressing of skins--is produced only to the extent of a few
thousand tons annually.
It is a fact worthy of notice, that while the use of phosphatic manures
has increased very considerably of late years, the same cannot be said
of nitrogen. According to Mr Hermann Voss, some 34,000[95] tons of
nitrogen were used in the form of artificial manures in 1873, while now
only about 28,000 tons are used--_i.e._, some 6000 tons less.
_Oil-seeds and Oilcakes._
There still remains a very important source of nitrogen which has not
yet been mentioned, in the shape of oil-seeds and oilcakes, used for
feeding purposes. Oilcakes are both manufactured in this country and
imported in large quantities. Recent Agricultural Returns show the total
imports of oilcakes at 256,296 tons; that of linseed at 370,000 tons;
that of rape-seed at 80,000 tons; and that of cotton-seed at 289,413
tons.
_Other imported Sources of Nitrogen._
We have further, in considering this question, to take into account the
large amount of maize, peas, beans, wheat, and oats which are imported
into this country, a certain quantity of which is used as cattle-food,
and will therefore go to enrich their manure. Also the imported straw
used for purposes of litter must not be forgotten. In 1887 this amounted
to 52,393 tons.
_Conclusion._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account