Of Straw. 371 



same means, straw is mixed with the dung and urine of cat- 

 tle, horses, &c. and converted into a rich manure. 



All the various sorts of straw answer the purposes of lit- 

 ter. Some farmers prefer the straw of rye, others that of 

 wheat, which absorbs a great quantity of urine and mois- 

 ture. The straw of pease and beans, when well broken by 

 thrashing, makes soft bedding ; but if well harvested, should 

 be applied to feeding stock. Cattle when soiled on clover, 

 and other articles, or fed on turnips, are kept in a state of 

 greater comfort when they have a sufficiency of litter. 



In the London markets straw for litter is drawn straight 

 in handsome trusses ; and if thrashed in mills, is less sale- 

 able, on account of its being more bruised, less sightly in the 

 truss, and less durable in use, an object of some importance, 

 where straw is so dear ; at the same time, it is probable, 

 that the advantage of a softer bed for the horses, would more 

 than compensate for the additional expense ( z35 ). It is sin- 

 gular, that the ancients were accustomed to break straw up- 

 on stones, for the purpose of rendering it more easily mixed 

 with dung, sooner dissolved, and better adapted for Iitter( z3<s ) ; 

 an operation which is now so effectually done by means of 

 the thrashing-mill. 



By some, littering stock with straw, has been considered 

 to be unnecessary; others contend, that all the straw of a 

 farm ought to be exclusively appropriated to that purpose, 

 and none of it applied to feeding stock : the truth seems to 

 lie between these extremes. 



In Arabia, where the finest horses in the world are kept, 

 no straw is used as litter. In Sweden, and in Russia, in- 

 stances are quoted, of horses lying on boards, and of cattle 

 standing and lying on a framing of wood work, without any 

 straw, or substitute for it, as bedding ( a37 ). Such plans, 

 however, will not answer for horses, if exposed to severe la- 

 bour, as, in that case, they require rest, in the most advanta- 

 geous manner in which it can be given them. 



It may likewise be observed, that the principal advantage 

 of littering, with a view to manure, arises from the straw 

 absorbing the urine, for which purpose it is certainly well 

 calculated. But wherever straw is scarce or dear, peat earth, 

 or fine mould, might be advantageously employed for the 

 mere absorption of urine. Other substitutes also might be 

 used for litter, as fern, shellings of oats ( i38 ), or small shell 

 sand, all of which have been found to answer. 



Straw, however, is the fittest article for this purpose, for, 

 by fermentation, it is reduced into a gaseous state, and by 



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