476 THE HOME, FARM AND BUSINESS CYCLOPAEDIA. 



ACCOMMODATION OF ANIMAL. In ordinary practice live stock are 

 housed either in, (1) stalls or stables, (2) yards more or less covered, or 

 (3) boxes. Apart from those considerations referring to the comfort and 

 health of the animals, the effect of each of these modes of housing upon the 

 quality of the manure is very considerable. 



Stalls or stables involve tying up the animals, and as this prevents free - 

 movement, the dung is all dropped in one place, and is very imperfectly 

 mixed with the straw. These stalls are daily cleaned, and the dung and 

 litter should be removed and spread over an open or covered yard, to be 

 more completely trodden down or made. Where straw is scarce or com- 

 mands a high price, the system of tying up in stables is in favour, as it is 

 economical of litter. 



Boxes are highly favourable to the production of first-class manure. In 

 the first place, they are invariably covered with a roof, which protects the 

 dung from rain. All the moisture contained in box-made dung is therefore 

 derived from the animal, and in consequence a less amount of straw is 

 required than in the case of open yards. Boxes are generally devoted to 

 fatting cattle living upon a highly nutritious diet, so that, apart from the 

 protection they afford from rain, this constitutes another substantial rea- 

 son why box-manure has obtained a high reputation. 



Yards. Of late years covered yards have been advocated, and where 

 these have been erected, the conditions are identical with those of boxes. 

 More commonly the yard is furnished with a shed, but is for the most 

 part open to the sky. As cattle are only housed in winter, the season in 

 which the greatest amount of rain or snow falls, open yards receive a large 

 quantity of surplus water ; and especially when the sheds are not spouted 

 or troughed, the manure becomes much wasted, and the quantity of litter 

 required to keep the cattle comfortable is greatly increased. These con- 

 ditions are not at all favourable to the accumulation of really good dung, 

 and the system cannot be continued profitably when large sums are being 

 expended upon feeding stuffs. At the same time, it is claimed as an 

 advantage by those who advocate fold-yards and sheds, that they enable 

 the farmer to crush down his straw and make it into manure. In certain 

 districts, perhaps, the "crushing down "of straw maybe an advant. 

 but the idea now savours of the past. 



AMOUNT AND QUALITY OF LITTER SUPPLIED. This condition has already 

 occupied us to some extent. To furnish litter ad libitum, so that the 

 yards and boxes are always knee-deep in clean straw, is conducive to the 

 comfort of the animals, but certainly impairs the quality of the manure. 

 On the other hand, fold-yards kept in a spongy, miry condition favour the 



