46 FARM MANAGEMENT 



lessen the artificial manure bill as much as 

 possible. To get the most out of it, it must be 

 well-preserved till required, as much of the 

 plant-food contained in dung, particularly the 

 nitrates, may be lost in the liquid draining 

 from the dung-heap and by volatilisation. 

 Nitrates being the most expensive of the 

 plant-foods to be replaced by artificials, their 

 preservation is very necessary. 



The ideal way to preserve dung is under a 

 covered yard having no drainage from it. Into 

 such a yard, or yards, all the manure from the 

 adjacent stables, cow-sheds, loose boxes, etc., 

 may be thrown each day ; further, stock may in 

 winter be fattened in this yard, and their 

 treading will make a compact mass of the dung. 

 Such a yard should have a Icement bottom 

 sloping to a centre, and a light roof of creosoted 

 narrow planks set about half an inch apart. 

 Underground drainage from such a yard is quite 

 unnecesary, as all the liquid will be required to 

 keep the manure moist ; it is only in the case of 

 uncovered yards that drainage is justified, owing 

 to the additional liquid, in the form of rain, 

 which the manure receives. 



If a closed-in yard be not available then the 



