BUILDINGS, AND THE MANUFACTURE OF MANURE, 61 



we are liable to some loss of valuable ingredients. Then, again, 

 we have extra labour in carting and spreading — serious items, if 

 we consider that thirteen loads of covered dung are equal in 

 effect to twenty loads from open yards. An open yard should 

 have a water-tight floor, either quite level or sloping slightly 

 towards the centre, be of moderate size, capable of holding some 

 six or eight beasts, and the hovel properly spouted. Under 

 such conditions, if we are careful about the litter, good though 

 bulky manure may be made ; and this is consolatory for those 

 who for many reasons may be obliged to adhere to the old 

 system. 



It is evident, then, from what has been advanced, that the 

 amount of rainfall matei'ially influences this question ; that it 

 will be much easier to make good manure on the eastern side of 

 England, where the rainfall does not exceed twenty inches, than 

 in the west, where we have frequently double that quantity. 

 Consequently, we should expect to find covered yards most in 

 use on the western side of our island, especially as the larger 

 proportion of grass land renders bedding a much more valuable 

 commodity. This, however, is not so, as, with some notable 

 exceptions, the movement has not progressed nearly so rapidly 

 in the breeding districts of the west as in the feeding farms 

 on the eastern coast. Now, why is this ? Some may say this 

 is an evidence of the superior intelligence and enterprise of 

 eastern farmers, and that after a time their example will be 

 followed. To such we would remark that in Norfolk covered 

 yards have existed for many years, and in these railway days 

 farmers are very soon alive to the improvements in other 

 districts. We think, therefore, the more natural conclusion 

 would be that the covered yard has not been considered to suit 

 the circumstances of the case. Now, what are these reasons ? 

 We are going to hazard a rather strong assertion. 



We believe that covered yards have not been more generally 

 adopted under an idea that they are not suitable for breeding 

 animals, and that as breeding is pursued generally in the 

 districts we have named, therefore the system of covered yards 

 does not find favour. If this can be shown to be prejudice then 

 the difficulty would be overcome, and these very farms, often 

 consisting of two-thirds pasture, present the exact conditions 



