-------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+-------- |When put |April 30,|Aug. 23, |Nov. 15, |up, Nov. |1855. |1855. |1855. |3, 1854. | | | -------------------------------+---------+---------+---------+-------- | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. | lbs. Total weight of manure in heap | 10,000 | 4,960 | 4,000 |3,790 Water in the heap of manure | 6,617 | 2,822 | 1,737 |1,579 Total organic matter | 2,824 | 1,490 | 1,205 |1,253 Total inorganic matter | 559 | 646 | 1,057 | 958 Total nitrogen in heap | 64.3| 59 | 50.8| 57.2 Total soluble organic matter | 248 | 230 | 165 | 203.5 Insoluble organic matter | 2,576 | 1,260 | 1,040 |1,049 Soluble mineral matter | 154 | 167 | 122 | 168 Insoluble mineral matter | 405 | 479 | 935 | 790 Nitrogen in soluble matter | 14.9| 13.4| 10.4| 15.9 Nitrogen in insoluble matter | 49.4| 45.6| 40.4| 41.3 Total dry matter in heap | 3,383 | 2,038 | 2,263 |2,211 -------------------------------+---------+---------+------------------ It will be seen that the heap of manure kept under cover contained, on the 30th of April, _less_ soluble organic matter, _less_ soluble mineral matter, _less_ soluble nitrogenous matter, and _less_ total nitrogen than the heap of manure exposed to the weather. This is precisely what I should have expected. The heap of manure in the shed probably fermented more rapidly than the heap out of doors, and there was not water enough in the manure to retain the carbonate of ammonia, or to favor the production of organic acids. _The heap was too dry._ If it could have received enough of the liquid from the stables to have kept it moderately moist, the result would have been very different. We will postpone further consideration of this point at present, and look at the results of another of Dr. Vœlcker’s interesting experiments. Dr. Vœlcker wished to ascertain the effect of three common methods of managing manure: 1st. Keeping it in a _heap_ in the open air in the barn-yard, or field. 2d. Keeping it in a _heap_ under cover in a shed. 3d. Keeping it _spread out_ over the barn-yard. “You say these are common methods of managing manure,” remarked the Deacon, “but I never knew any one in this country take the trouble to spread manure over the yard.” “Perhaps not,” I replied, “but you have known a good many farmers who adopt this very method of keeping their manure. They do not spread it--but they let it lie spread out over the yards, just wherever it happens to be.” Let us see what the effect of this treatment is on the composition and value of the manure.