THE RURAL SOCRATES. f 



real lofstohufbandry. To Kliyogg^ this difcovery js an 

 ineftimable treafure, of which we were either ignorant 

 or forgetful. The opinion is farther verified in Zell- 

 weguer's defcription of the mode of hufoandry iifcd in 

 the canton of Appenzell, They fcatter there dead 

 branches of fir and pine-trees in great roads to be tram- 

 pled by cattle and paiTengers ; by which means they 

 acquire a beginning of putrefa£lion, and are converted 

 into manure though of a very indifferent quality. — But 

 Kliyogg, who had experienced how defc^ive this me- 

 thod was, has fucceeded in what at firft feemed-hard to 

 accomplifh t namaly, converting thefe very materials 

 into excellent manure. It is known that the refinous and 

 aromatic juices contained in the prickly leaves of pines 

 are powerful enemies to putrefa£lion : but what obfl:a- 

 cles are not to be furmounted by reafon feconded by in- 

 duftry ? Kliyogg fubdued them all, by obferving cer- 

 tain rules in the preparation of litter for his cattle, 

 and of the different flrata of his dunghilL 



In regard to the firfl article, he feldom removes the 

 litter under a week, firewing frefh upon the top once a 

 day ; by which means it becomes impregnated with ani- 

 mal falts, and acquires a very evident degree of fer- 

 mentation before it is removed to th^ dunghill,— An 

 obje£lion may arife to this pra£lice,. which I my felf could 

 not avoid making : namely, that the flrong effluvia ari- 

 fing from the fermented litter, muft be prejudicial to 

 the health of the cattle. But Kliyogg afTured me, that 

 experience contradicted this ; and thanked God that his 

 beads had always been remarkably healthfni and vigo- 

 rous. Nor does this method prevent cleanlinefs, if a 

 conftant fupply of frefh litter is attended to ; and the 

 cattle are, at the fame time, more warm and comforta- 

 ble. 



This exa£i:nefs is equally confpjcuous in the manage- 

 ment of the litter when taken away. It is placed in le- 

 parate layers upon the dunghill ; fo methodized, that 

 thofe where the fermentation is fooncft to be CKPeiHied, 



