On Soiling Cattle. 845 
frost commences ; when the dung is likely to incom- 
mode the cattle, the yards and sheds are scraped, and it 
is hauled out and mixed into compost to prevent fur- 
ther evaporation ; this appears to be a very wasteful ma- 
nagement of dung, and if the cattle would thrive equally 
as well tied up, the difference in labour would be more 
than compensated in the quantity and quality of the ma- 
nure; and European writers say, soiling im airy sheds ws 
and cool stables answer, but whether difference in cli- 
mate or the habits of cattle are against that practice here, 
is unknown to me; but I suspect the difference in ex- 
pense would be found trivial or perhaps not any; for the 
scraping extensive yards as frequent as necessary, can 
be little less expensive than the daily cleaning of the 
stalls, and the wheeling from the yards to the stercora- — 
ries will be more scattered and distant, consequently ae) 
more expensive than performing the same work tyes, tl 
" 
from the sheds. If this reasoning be correct, there can ' 
be but little, if any difference in the expense asitre- 
spects the dung, and I strongly suspect, two cart loads 
of that properly saved, would produce more vegetation . 
than three of that which had been drenched with the rain 
and scorched with the sun, and it only remains to make 
a set off against geering and ungeering the cattle twice 
per day, (they do not require much water when on 
green food) and scraping the dung off from them once in 
the same time; and this ithas been found may be spee- 
dily and sufficiently performed with a piece of an old 
scythe fixed into a wooden handle. When the cattle are 
_tied up less than half the shed room will suffice, the 
cost of building, repairs, interest, and ultimate decay will 
be saved ; it will be less expensive to spread the grass 
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