SOILING AND PASTURING. 4-23 



of COWS, is wasted by evaporation, and by becoming the food of 

 myriads of insects. The urine at each voiding falls only upon 

 a limited surface, and there is nothing like a proper distribution 

 of its fertilizing elements over the whole soil. It is doubtful, also, 

 whether this deposit of manure upon the surface of the land, 

 during the hottest season of the year, is the most economical. 

 And even if there were no waste, and no concentration of the 

 manure on certain parts of the field to the deprivation of other 

 parts, the fact that the application is not under the control of the 

 farmer, and that, as a rule, the land pastured this year is not most 

 in need of this year's manure, would be sufficient to re-enforce 

 whatever argument may be advanced against the custom. To 

 have a large quantity of manure made under cover, and kept 

 under such circumstances as to suffer very little, if any, waste, 

 is of an importance which all farmers will readily acknowledge ; 

 and the ability to control the application of this manure at will 

 is of great consequence. I know, from my own experience in 

 the stall-feeding of animals, that the amount of manure made 

 in this way is enough to amaze any farmer who is not familiar 

 with the practice. And not only is the quantity of the manure 

 itself increased, but, by adding to it muck, dry earth, or other 

 similar refuse, its valuable parts may be distributed throughout a 

 still greater mass of material, enabling us to spread it more evenly 

 over the ground. 



In all well-arranged soiling-barns the manure is received in a 

 cellar under the animals, or in well-covered sheds behind them, 

 both of which are protected against the draining away or waste of 

 the manure. Therefore in this respect there is absolutely no 

 waste, and it is a source of great satisfaction to the farmer to feel 

 that he has the fertilizing capital of the whole farm completely 

 under his control, and that he is able to apply it in such quantities 

 as he deems best to the fields on which it will do the most 

 good. 



The following quotation from Mr. Quincy's first essay will 

 illustrate the truth of the foregoing statements :— 



" The twenty head consumed the product of 



