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ligent application of the laws of animal hygiene as an essential part of 
the future agricultural policy of Italy. 
Offical statistics show that the kingdom contains nearly 9,000,060 
sheep, the larger proportion being in the southern provinces, where ra- 
tional cultivation of the soilis hampered by the traditional ideas of fal- 
lowing. Moreland is annually brought under cultivation as the govern- 
ment is gradually releasing land-owners from the pressure of ancient 
customs. Contrary to popular prejudices persistently held, the break- 
ing up of fallow brings improved conditions both to cropping and live- 
stock interests. 
On a vast plain.in the province of Capitanata, known as the Tavoliere 
delle Puglie, comprising nearly 750,000 acres, two-thirds of which has 
been preserved unbroken and used only for pasturage, the accumulation 
of sheep-droppings is wonderful. These deposits have also attracted 
the attention‘of agricultural chemists. From October to May, about 
600,000 sheep are annually kept on the plain of Puglie, their summer 
pastures being on the mountains of Abruzzo. They are divided into 
flocks ranging from 500 to 15,000, and averaging about 2,000 head. 
They are kept at nights in rectangular enclosures on ground with a suffi- 
cient declivity to carry off the water and protect the sheep from the 
north winds. Oflate years large sheds have been erected to shelter the 
flocks. This has resulted in a difference in the composition of the ma- 
nure. That dropped in the open air, dissolved by the rain, baked by the 
sun, and trampled by the animals, is reduced by mixture with the soil to 
a kind of organic mold which constitutes an excellent manure, and is ob- 
tainable at a low price. The droppings accumulated under the sheds, 
being protected from the action of the sun and rain, are but little decom- 
posed and preserve their fertilizing matters intact. These will bear a 
greater transportation, and very large quantities are annually sold to 
the neighboring farmers. The latter kind is richer in organic matter 
and ammoniacal salts as well as in soda, but not so rich in phosphoric 
acid, potash, sulphuric acid, oxide of iron, lime, and magnesia ; they also 
contain less water. 
MEAT CONSUMPTION IN EUROPE.—M. Zundel, a veterinary surgeon 
residing in Strasburg, has published a work on the general aspects of 
meat consumption in Europe, in which he attempts to determine from 
Statistical and physiological inquiries the proportion of animal to vege- 
table diet in different countries. He estimates the average annual con- 
sumption per capita of meat by different races, as follows: Spanish, 244 
pounds; italian, 33.07; Swedish, 52.91; Prussian, 55.12; Austrian, 574; 
Belgian, 661 ; French, "68. 35 5 South German, Ti; Mecklenburger, 833 ; 
English, 1803, 
These results are very remarkable. Taking the consumption of the 
Englishman as a standard of comparison, that of the Spaniard is but 
13.4 per cent.; Italian, 18.4; Swede, 29.27; Prussian, 30.49; Austrian, 
31.72; Belgian, 36.59; Frenchman, 37.77; South German, 42.69 ; Meck- 
lenburger, 46.33. If thesestatistics presenteven arespectable approxima- 
tion to the real facts, they show that the Englishman consumes about 
twice as much meat as any other European. The first article of the report 
of the Royal Agricultural Society of England for 1876 estimates the 
average consumption of the United Kingdom at 114 pounds per capita; 
the average is known to be much larger in England than in either Ire- 
land or Scotland. 
A marked difference is also observable in the annual meat con- 
sumption of city and rural populations in Europe. In cities of 10,000 
inhabitants or over the estimates range from 110 to 165 pounds per 
capita, while the great capitals show an immensely greater consump- 
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