It is far more sensible to learn from experience. Gauge the
proportions of materials going into a heap by the result. If the
pile gets really hot and stays that way for a few weeks before
gradually cooling down then the C/N was more or less right. If,
after several turnings and reheatings, the material has not
thoroughly decomposed, then the initial C/N was probably too high.
The words "thoroughly decomposed" mean here that there are no
recognizable traces of the original materials in the heap and the
compost is dark brown to black, crumbly, sweet smelling and most
importantly, _when worked into soil it provokes a marked growth
response, similar to fertilizer._

If the pile did not initially heat very much or the heating stage
was very brief, then the pile probably lacked nitrogen. The solution
for a nitrogen-deficient pile is to turn it, simultaneously blending
in more nutrient-rich materials and probably a bit of water too.
After a few piles have been made novice composters will begin to get
the same feel for their materials as bakers have for their flour,
shortening, and yeast.

It is also possible to err on the opposite end of the scale and make
a pile with too much nitrogen. This heap will heat very rapidly,
become as hot as the microbial population can tolerate, lose
moisture very quickly, and probably smell of ammonia, indicating
that valuable fixed nitrogen is escaping into the atmosphere. When
proteins decompose their nitrogen content is normally released as
ammonia gas. Most people have smelled small piles of spring grass
clippings doing this very thing. Ammonia is always created when
proteins decompose in any heap at any C/N. But a properly made