236 Litter. 



siderable portion of good springs to the community, from this very 

 evil. 



For^ though the superiority of stable manure, over many other 

 kinds of putrefied, vegetable and animal composts, has perhaps 

 been considerably overrated, yet, it cannot be denied that it is of 

 immense value in agriculture. And, therefore, though the first and 

 grand object with me, undoubtedly, is, to point out and expose 

 whatever I conceive to be prejudicial to the health of Horses, in our 

 stable system, and to insist upon this point, as one of paramount con- 

 sideration, yet, as 1 think there can be no doubt that urine is by far 

 the most valuable material of stable manure, I have felt it not less 

 incumbent upon me, to recommend the most scrupulous preservation 

 of it, in reservoirs ; instead of suffering it to be partly diffused in 

 puddles over the pavement, and partly permitted to run to waste 

 out of the stable. 1 have endeavoured, in fact, to shew, not only 

 that urine becomes the great means of heating and vitiating the 

 atmosphere of stables, by exciting the putrefactive fermentation 

 in the straw ; but, that this process, so necessary to the farmer, 

 may be as effectually carried on, as far as the object of manure is 

 concerned, out of doors, though perhaps, not quite so rapidly, 

 as in the stable. And, as facts, and not theory, have long ago pro- 

 ved to me the inestimable yalue of urine, as an article of manure, 

 I have laid considerable stress opon the necessity of carrying it off 

 into reservoirs, for the purpose of being afterwards thrown from time 

 to time, upon heaps of such materials as require to be fermented. 



For, however strong my conviction may be of the impolicy of con- 

 verting stables into storehouses and factories of manure, yet, I might 

 probably have hesitated about urging this matter so strongly, if I did 



