AGRICULTURE WITH CHEMISTRY. 95; 



mits a greater number of cattle to be maintained, and a 

 greater quantity of real dung to be procured, than when 

 a less number of stock are kept and well littered. 



Food in its passage through, the bodies of animals be- 

 comes mixed with animalized matter, and consequently 

 more rich and more valuable, weight for weight, as a 

 manure, than dung procured by littering cattle, although 

 there must necessarily be much less in bulk or quantity, 

 from the large proportion of the food of animals, which; 

 goes off by breathing and insensible perspiration ; be- 

 side which, without the utmost care, it is extremely 

 difficult to prevent the urine and the valuable juices of 

 the dung from sinking through the floors of cow-houses 

 and stables, or the soil of farm-yards. Could these incon- 

 veniencies be effectually provided against by a proper 

 flooring of clay or chalk, a preference appears due to the 

 consumption of the whole of the produce by cattle, pro- 

 vided that attention be paid to the mixing daily a sufficient 

 quantity of peat or mould with the dung and urine, so as 

 completely to absorb and take up whatever may remain of 

 these matters in a fluid state. By this process there can be 

 no doubt that a greater quantity, and a still more valuable 



dung 



