Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-09-12

Value of Poultry Droppings.
1t is often claimed that poultry ma
nure is very valuable Well, that de-
ponds on the food from which it is pro-
dueed. Birds that live on animal food,
such as meat, fish. etc, produce manure
richer than that from grain and grass.
Below is a comparison of the value of
manure from hens, ducks, geese, and
pigeons:
In 1000 pounds OF hen manure there
are 500 pounds of water, 255 pounds Of
organic substance and 1S5 pounds of
ash. The manure from the ducks very
closely approaches that from hens. the
same quantity Of duck manure contain
ing 566 pounds of water. 262 pounds of
organic substance, and 172 pounds Of
ash. The estimates are based on fresh
manure that has not lost any of its
moisture. Although most farmers have
supposed that manure from the goose
was more concentrated than that from
hens, yet such is not the case. II is
far behind that from the hen and the
duck ia fertilizing elements, as 1000
pounds of fresh goose manure contain
as much as III pounds of water, and
1874 pounds of organic substance, while
its ash is but ninety-five pounds, or
but little over one-half that of the hen
manure.
The hen manure contains about six
teen pounds of nitrogen in 1000
pounds, the duck manure about ten
pounds. and the goose manure about
five pounds. The hen manure is, there
fore, three times as valuable as the
goose manure in nitrogen, and the duck
manure twice as valuable. Goose ma
nure, however, contains more potash
than that from the hen or duck, the
proportion being about nine pounds for
the goose, eight pounds for the hen,
and six pounds for the duck
Manure from pigeons, however, is
more valuable than that from fowls.
as pigeon manure contains 529 pounds
of water in 1000 pounds, but its organic
substance reaches 30S pounds. and its
ash 173 pounds. 1t also contains over
seventeen pounds of nitrogen and ten
pounds of potash. In value, therefore,
the manure from pigeons comes first,
that from hens second, that from ducks
third, and that from geese last, yet it
has always been an accepted theory
that manure from geese was richer
than that from any other fowls, but
the chemist has shed light upon the
MATTEL anu ldJlS SuUW OAueIW iSt.
Water is factor in all manures, hence
that from birds is no exception to the
rule"
Read the above carefully and then
save 1t. The droppings should be we'll
mixed as follows: One bushel drop
pings, one peck kainit, and two bushels
sifted dry earth or coal ashes. Keep
1t in barrels moist mot wet. and never
LOT IL not draxr 10
any kind of slop water over it. When
you wish to use it, the ammonia will
compel you to hold your nose. If kept
dry it loses its value, becoming hard
and insoluble.-The Poultry Keeper
The Houdan Fowl.--Among the heavy
layers. the Houdan certainly deserves
front seat. They lay'large eggs and a
good many of them. AS rule the eggs
are fertile, producing strong chicks.
The meat qualities, however, are equal
to the egg production. The main OBJ
lection to the breed. has been It's large
crest. which, during rainy weather, is
detriment. causing colds when water
soaked. To satisfy those who wished
the style of plumage and egg qualities
of the Houdan, but objected to the
crest, the Anconas, imported some
years ago by the late Francis A. Morti-
mer. came in, and it is a remarkable
breed in these two particulars. having
an exact Houdan plumage, no crest, and
lays an egg fully as large, and has
equally as large an egg record. But it
cannot in any way cope with the
French fowl for table use. Few breeds
can boast of the combination (eggs and
meat in so strong a degree, as can
the pride of France, and where the
crest is the only drawback, that OBJ
stacle can be overcome by having large
houses and roomy scratching pens, al
lowing the fowls out only during fine
weather. 1t will pay to go to this ex-
pense and trouble for breed that CON
tains so much profit. Poultry Advo-
cate.