No. 7. 



Animal and Vegetable Manures. 



225 



tion of these matters, — but, with like care 

 and skill, may be converted into new vegeta- 

 ble, and afterwards into new animal matters. 

 To economize and apply all these fertilizing 

 materials, is the province and the duty of llie 

 husbandman. To aid him in this useful la- 

 bour, is the object of this essay. And, 



Is. Of the cattle-yard. This should be 

 located on tlie south side of and adjoining the 

 barn. Sheds, substantial walls, or close board 

 fences, should be erected at least on the east 

 and west sides, to shelter the cattle from cold 

 winds and storms — the size and the divisions 

 to be adapted to the stock which it is intend- 

 ed to feed. Excavate the centre, or some 

 other part of the yard, placing the earth re- 

 moved upon the borders, which may be ten 

 to fourteen feet broad, or upon the lower 

 sides, where there is a descent, so that the 

 liquids will all run to the centre, and the 

 borders, which should be left gently inclin- 

 ing, will remain dry and firm, for feeding the 

 cattle upon. The centre may be from two 

 to five feet lower than the borders. The 

 labour may be done principally with the 

 plough and scraper, and smoothed oft' with 

 the scraper and hoe. We were employed 

 two days and a half, with two hands and a 

 team, in giving a cattle yard the desired 

 shape. When the soil of the yard is not suf- 

 ficiently compact to hold water, or is not 

 likely to become so by the tread of the cattle, 

 or the puddling effects of the manure, the 

 bottom should be bedded with six or eight 

 inches of clay, well beat down, and well co- 

 vered with gravel. This is seldom however 

 necessary. Our yards are upon a sand loam, 

 and yet the liquids never sink into the earth. 

 When the yard is prepared, the first thing 

 done should be to overlay the whole bottom 

 with six to twelve inches of peat swamp 

 earth, where it is at command ; and where 

 it is not, with earth from ditches, the road- 

 side, or other rich deposits. It is then fit for 

 the reception of the cattle, and of straw, 

 coarse hay, corn-stalks, and other litter of 

 the farm ; and consequently, as they may be 

 gathered, the weeds, potato and pumpkin 

 vines, and other vegetable matters. These 

 materials will absorb or take up the urine 

 and other liquids, and, becoming incorporated 

 with the dung, double or treble the ordinary 

 quantity of manure. Durinw the continu- 

 ance of fi-ost, the excavation gives no incon- 

 venience ; and when the weather is soft, the 

 borders aflbrd space for feeding the cattle, 

 and for a dry passage to the barn. In this 

 way the urine is saved, and the waste inci- 

 dent to rains, &c. prevented. The barns 

 and sheds which adjoin the yards, should be 

 provided with eve-gutters, which should dis- 

 charge outside of the yard, so that the wa- 

 ters from the roofs may pass oflf! 



As a further precaution against waste by 

 rains, a cistern or t;uik may be sunk near the 

 yard, into which an under drain may be made 

 tu conduct tiie liquids, when they are likely 

 to accumulate to excess. These liquids may 

 be pumped into casks upon carts, and em- 

 ployed to great advantage upon grass or ara- 

 ble crops. The Flemings call these liquids 

 the cooked food of their crops. 



To guard against the wasting influence of 

 the sun in summer, a roughly constructed 

 covering, supported by posts, may be erected 

 over the central depot This is seldom ne- 

 cessary under our mode of management, 

 which requires a thorough cleaning of the 

 yard every spring, for the corn, potato, and 

 other root crops. 



The cattle should be kept constantly yard- 

 ed in winter, except when let out to water, 

 not only because, if suffered to run at large, 

 they poach and injure the fields and mea- 

 dows, but because they waste their dung ; and 

 the yard should be frequently replenished 

 with fresh litter. Upon this plan, from ten to 

 twelve loads of manure may readily be ob- 

 tained, every spring, fi-om each animal win- 

 tered in the yard. If the manure fi-om the 

 horse-stables, and from stalled neat cattle, 

 be added, the quantity will not only be pro- 

 portionally increased, but the quality im- 

 proved. Whenever the yard is thoroughly 

 cleaned for spring crops, it ought to be again 

 bedded with fresh earth, and well littered. 



2d. The Stables, whether occupied by 

 horses or cattle, may be made to contribute 

 much to the value of the yard dung, by their 

 urine, which may be conducted into the yard 

 by paved or other conduits, leading from the 

 stables to the yard. In these, too, litter may 

 be as profitably employed to increase the 

 dung, and to promote the health and comfort 

 of the animal, as in the yard or open sheds. 

 The dung from the horse-stables, if suffered 

 to lie in a mass, is apt to heat and become 

 fire-fanged, as it is termed, which very much 

 impairs its quality. Where there are cellars 

 under stables, the dung is thrown down into 

 them, and is there protected from the wasting 

 influence of the weather; but even here it is 

 liable to suflfer injury, unless hogs are per- 

 mitted to root among it, or unless the cellar 

 is frequently cleaned out. An approved 

 practice is, to scatter the dung from the sta- 

 bles over the cattle-yard, which thus retards 

 fermentation, prevents waste, and produces 

 a homogeneous mass of excellent manure. 



.3d. The Hog-Pen. Hogs are excellent 

 animals for manufacturing manure, if they 

 are furnished with the raw material, as peat, 

 earth, straw, weeds, &c., and a suitable place 

 for conducting the process. The composts 

 of their formation are among the cheapest 

 and the best that are used upon the farm. 



