60 THE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



question of covered yards is in danger of being injured by the 

 intemperate zeal of its advocates. We believe tbat, under many 

 conditions, the covering of our homesteads will prove an econo- 

 mical investment. The saving of straw and concentration of 

 manure are points of great importance. But, on the other 

 hand, we are perfectly certain that manure may be made in 

 open yards, when properly constructed, without serious loss of 

 valuable materials. '* How is this ? " we hear someone exclaim. 

 Has it not been stated by Alderman Mechi and others that 

 manure made under cover is worth much more, weight for 

 weight, than that from open yards ? And have we not all 

 heard of the lovsses to which manure is liable when exposed to 

 the action of rain ? The graphic j)icture of the hillside yard, 

 deluged with water collected by the long unspouted roofs of 

 stable and barn on the upper side, with the duck-pond below, 

 which receives the filtrate, has been too often brought forward 

 as the type of the open yard system. But is this fair ? As 

 well might we condemn covered yards because failures have 

 occurred through improper construction, causing imperfect 

 ventilation. Divested of exaggeration, we believe the real facts 

 of the case are these. Manure may be made in open yards 

 properly constructed without the loss of valuable materials ; but 

 a greatly- increased quantity of litter will be required, and must 

 be supplied according to the greater or less rainfall, in order to 

 soak up the liquid and prevent waste. 



This is the most cogent argument against open yards. We can- 

 not, in many cases, afford to throw away so much straw, which, 

 if properly harvested, has a considerable feeding value ; and, 

 although not going so far as some who advocate its entire use 

 as food, we believe that the perfection of manure-making 

 consists in avoiding all excess of straw, and using no more than 

 is absolutely required to absorb the solid and liquid excrements. 

 Manure in open yards varies in quality in its different layers 

 according to the state of the weather when those layers were 

 formed. If dry, little or no fresh litter will be required, 

 whereas in a wet time litter must be spread once or perhaps 

 twice a day. The proportion of excrement, therefore, differs 

 greatly, and in order to obtain a uniform bulk we must mix the 

 different layers in a heap and occasionally turn, in doing which 



