SOILING, OR IIOL Sfc FADING. 191 



sold 6 worth of batter each year, from each cow, besides hav 

 ing a sufficiency for a family of six persons.&quot; 



When I visited Mr. S killing s well-managed establishment, he 

 was then soiling sixteen cows in clean, well-ventilated, and con 

 venient stables. He states that these cows, upon an average, 

 give him 15 10s. a year, each, and this principally from the 

 sale of the milk. He estimates &quot; that a cow fed in the house 

 will make twenty-five tons of liquid manure, which will be suffi 

 cient for an acre of ground.&quot; I am afraid in this case my friend 

 overrates the quantity. He says, he can, on an average, keep 

 a cow on every two English acres of land.&quot; I believe that, with 

 proper pains and cultivation, a cow may be kept upon less than 

 two acres. I have known a cow very well kept upon one acre 

 through the year, and a portion of hay annually sold from the 

 same ground. ii Such,&quot; he adds, &quot;are the advantages of house- 

 feeding. There may be difficulties in keeping cattle in houses ; 

 but people should have patience, and not let difficulties overcome 

 them. The advantages that arise from house-feeding are a 

 larger quantity of manure, and much more milk; and, such 

 being the case, it would appear strange that men should continue 

 to practise the old plan. The system is applicable to a large 

 farm, as well as to a small one. In England, the farmers do not 

 keep half a sufficient stock upon their farms. They keep a 

 great number of sheep, but not sufficient to compensate for the 

 short stock of cattle. But it may be objected that, on a very 

 large farm, say 1000 acres, it is difficult to erect a cow-house 

 sufficiently large to accommodate as many cattle as would be 

 necessary. The difficulty can be easily obviated. Let a num 

 ber of cottages be erected on the farm ; and beside them let 

 cow-houses be built, so that the persons residing in the cottages 

 can take care of the cattle in the houses next to their own. Let 

 the young cattle be in one house ; the milch cattle in another ; 

 the fat cattle in another ; and it will be found, at once, that the 

 system is as applicable to a large farm as to a small one.&quot; Mr. 

 Skilling, it will be seen from these statements, is of a sanguine 

 temperament ; but the observations of a man so experienced as 

 he is are entitled certainly to a respectful hearing. 



He goes on to say, &quot; The house itself must be airy, well venti 

 lated, and perfectly clean. The animals must be well curried 

 and brushed every day.&quot; His stables and their occupants gave 



