THE CHEMISTRY OF MANURES. Nitrogenous Manures obtained from waste animal substances.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1349, 22 February 1881, Page 3

THE CHEMISTRY OF MANURES. Nitrogenous Manures obtained from waste animal substances.

The main aim and object of agriculture being to encourayra the growth of those vegetable substances -which serve as food for animals, it is but natural to suppose that the waste products resulting from the wear and tear and the ultimate breaking up of tho animal structure, should be of value in facilitating plant growth. At the present stage of the subject, consideration will only be given to those substances which are available and suitable for augmenting, more particularly the supply of nitrogenous plant food. With the exception of fat, nitrogen enters more or less into the composition of all animal matters, and so renders them vtliuble for manuring purposes, when they are obtainable in sufficient quantity. Flesh.— Under the name of animal guanos, flesh manures are now largely manufactured in the United States of America, and are generally prepared by drying the refuse flesh, &c, obtained in boiling down establishments, and then finely grinding it. The various sample* contain from 3 to 15 per cent of nitrogen with varying quantities of phosphates. Two samples of animal guano prepared in Canterbury, came under the notice of the writer soma time ago which contained 4 "34 and s*BB per cent of nitrogen respectively. A similar product to the above, and one which in England is now largely used, is cailed fish guano, and is, as its i name implies prepared from fish, by drying and grinding in the same manures as with animal guanos, it usually contains from 6to 8 per cent of nitrogen. An excellent method of utilising carcases of animals dying from disease or other causes, is to divide them into small pieces and mix them with from 3 to 4 times their bulk of clay, peat, or coal ashes, allowing the mass so formed to ferment until the structure is all broken down. A cai'case of 5001ba weigh*- is said to yieli about lOlbs. of nitrogen, equal to 121bs. of ammonia. Blood. — The blood of animals as obtained from the slaughter-house I',1 ', &c, might advantageously be used with earth, &c, in the same manner as flesh ; it contains in its natural state from 2 to 3 per cent of nitrogen. Many preparations in the shape of blood manures are to be found in the market. These are usually prepared by drying the blood, sometimes with the addition of sulphuric acid, or gypsum, to prevent the escape of the ammonia, the best of these mannres contains sometimes 12 to 13 per cent of nitrogen, but very frequently, however, the temperature employed is too high, and the blood suffers partial decomposition ; a medium product appeal s to be the best, in which the blood is partially diied so as to contain 6 to 7 per cent of nitrogen. Shoddy and Wool Waste. — These subBtancoH are the refuse obtained in the manufacture of woollen goods, and form a valuable source of nitrogen, since they contain from 6 to 10 per cent of this substance. Woollen rags are also very largely used, especially for vines and hops. In the Kent hop grounds, they are much in favour amongst the farmers, who ap ly them at the rate of 12cwt. per acre to their land, every two or three years. The nitrogen in woollen rags in about 8 per cent. Hair, Leather, Horn, Leather parINGS, &O. — It is a curious fact that thpse substances in their pure state are nearly identical in composition, containing when diied from 16 to 17 per cent, of nitrogen ; in the ordinary state, however, in which they are available, they are mixed with vaiious extraneous nubstanoes, which reduce the percentage of nitrogen, their value in this constituent will be rendered evident by the following table :—: — Substance -Percentage of Nitrogen hair), 1378 ; (leathers), 15 -34; (furwaste),) 850; (horn shavings), 1436 ; (leather parings), 810; (tannery refuse), 4 02. Equal to Ammonia— (hair), 16 99 ; (leathers), 1902; (fur waste), 10*32; (horn shavings), 17 "80; (leather parings), 6*83; (tannery refuse), 4 98. The peculiar texture of most of these substances requires that they shall be subjected to disintegi'ating agents before being used in the soil, as their desomposition takes place but slowly, and consequently they are of more value to the manure manufacturers than to the farmer. One method by which their texture might be broken down is by subjecting them to the action of high pressure steam, which renders them brittle after drying, so that they might be easily pulverised. Another excellent method consists of exposing these substances to the action of sulphuric acid. At Messrs Coquerel & Co.'s manufactory near Paris, large leaden baths are used for this purpose ; these baths coufcaining the sulphuric acid are heated, Bnd the feathers, leather cuttings, and other organic materials used are placed in them, when they become speedily disintegrated, and partially dissolved by the acid. The acid is afterwards used for the manufacture of superphosphate of lime, and in this manner by adjusting the quantity of nitrogenous organic matter, the value of which is always ascertained previously by analysis, they are able to compound manure suitable for any kind of crop.

Ijs the statistic 1 ? of the railways of Europe, Germany heads the list with a network of permanent way amounting to 20,305 miles. England stands next with 18,360 miles of railway ; France has 15,585, miles ; Russia, 14,455 miles ; Austria and Hungary, 11,995 miles; Italy, s,474 milps; and, finally, Greece under nine inilbs. The United Slates of America have a network of lines equal to that of five-sixths of the whole of Europe, and show an extent of 84,980 miles of permanent way. The other States of America possess only 12,660 miles; Asia has 9,300, Australia, 2,600, and Africa, 1,300 mites. Women in the East. — The Mahomedans nearly all believe that woman has no foul. This is not taught in the Koran bnt is countenanced by the fact that in the great prophet's paradise houris are given to the faithful instead of their earthly wives. The Chinese make slave« of the women in this world, and deny them any hope of compensation hereafter. In Western Australia female ohiidren are ; alway« betrothed a few daya after their birth, and should the first husband die be- j fore the girl attains her maturity, nhe belongs to his heir. In Now Zealand if a girl's future husband should die, no other ma 1 ; can make a proposal to her. Among the Hindoos widows may not matry again. In China the parents bargain for the marriage of their children while they are yet unborn. The New Hollanders steal | their wives, and if a woman attempts to esbape from her captor, he at once thrusts a Bpear through the^ fleshy part of her leg or thigh. Of all methods of obtaining a vife, that of purchase is the most universal.- It is practised by the African, by the black and brown races of the Indian Archipelago, and by nearly all the nations of ? Asia; ' The 1 Circassian women prefer -being" sent to Constantinople to be soldr In Siam and CochinChina joaen invariably- purchase t their wives) t>ut the?. ,womon have one privilege — the, parents Ganndt.'sell themi without their' -wjyll,, Jn^CMfla^ Spacer, Tvomen are 'sql 4 .^itihout-being.icbnsultedonth'e BubjeiJt, : ?ni)iava|toj.iObey jJverjrohQ in,,the{ ffirijily - <?£, h£fj^ursis6ti''}mthdp,fr£xS' cepJ;iott^hV^!^feijP!|^foq;ntr^l' orer^ hfr -bßingse^^Jys|Wi mi t«4j 1» It 1 Jiipsnspra'S