280 THE COMPARATIVE VALUE OF OEDIXAEY MA^^UEE, 



condition of the animal, the quantity and quality of the food ; 

 but, so far as we can gather, these figures are within the mark. 

 Of course, in addition to these quantities, the bedding, &c., has 

 to be added. Doubtless, we will be told that the straw absorbs 

 the urine, and that the crv of " waste " is a groundless alarm. 

 Will any one try for himself if the litter absorbs' all the urine? 

 In a trial made to arrive at some conclusion on the point, it was 

 found that 14 lbs. of straw absorbed 2'2h lbs. of urine. Take 

 one stone of straw as the daily amount of litter you give to your 

 cow and 79 lbs. as the daily urine voided during 210 days of 

 winter, and 59 lbs. daily for loo days in summer, we have a 

 total of 25,735 lbs., or nearly 11^ tons. This is higher than the 

 approximate quantity assumed above, but this being stall-fed, 

 gave higher results. To litter this cow we allow one stone of 

 straw per day, which absorbs 22 J lbs. of urine, or 8212 lbs. in 

 one year, leaving 17,538 lbs., or nearly 8 tons, to flow into the 

 tank, horse- pond, open drains, &c. 



In reference to the above, I have practised it to some extent for 

 a few years, and always found it a great advantage. I, however, 

 thoroughly tested it for two succeeding crops. In the spring 

 of 1878, I manured part of a field in the drill for Swede 

 turnips. The field is of medium good land, with stiff clay sub- 

 soil, about 500 feet above the level of the sea, and four miles 

 south-west from Edinburgh ; was in good condition, and fairly 

 well drained. After a good crop of oats it was ploughed in good 

 order, with a pretty strong furrow about the end of ISTovember, 

 after which the winter set in very long and most severe. I put 

 some cattle into a house, which I do generally every year about 

 the beginning of aSTovember, and also some into an open court, the 

 latter of course having an open shed to go under as they choose. 

 The court was cleaned out several times during the winter, 

 and laid on a dunghill in the field till ready to put on the 

 ground. The house was cleaned out in the middle of January, 

 and put into a heap on the field, and kept till the spring for 

 this experiment. The cattle were put away in the middle of 

 April, but the manure then was not removed from the house 

 until required for the turnip drills. I then took off a few carts 

 of the driest stuff from the top, and kept it aside when I got 

 into the good made manure. I then applied it to the turnip 

 drills. 



Commencing on the 8th of May 1878, beginning with the 

 manure taken straight from the house, I put 15 tons per im- 

 perial acre, with 3 cwt. of dissolved bones, and 2 cwt. Peruvian 

 guano to the first acre. There was an acre measured just beside 

 it, and the dung which was taken out from the house in January 

 applied to it. In the same manner with the same artificial manure, 

 and on the same day the turnips w^ere also sown, just behind 



