MANURES. 129 



come enriched by them. Even should the liquids of 

 ihe yard be dried up, as they are in summer, the 

 earth and litter will retain the fertilizing matters 

 which they held in solution. By these operations 

 alone the quantity of manure will be double what it 

 is where they are neglected. Thirdly, to prevent an 

 exess of water in the yard, what falls from the build- 

 ings should be conducted off by gutters. And, fourth- 

 ly, a reservoir should be constructed under ground 

 for the reception of the liquids that unavoidably flow 

 from the yard, and particularly for the urine from 

 the stables. By this latter means a great accession 

 may be made to the fertilizing resources of a farm, 

 and a material obtained fitted for the immediate 

 wants of a growing crop. 



2. When dung is accumulated in large masses, ei- 

 ther when' thrown from the stables or in the fields 

 where it is to be applied, even though it be protected 

 from the weather, a violent fermentation takes place, 

 moisture is exhausted from the mass, and it becomes 

 what is termed fire-fanged dry, light, and mouldy, 

 and seriously impaired in its value. 



To avoid this in the yard, spread the manure oc- 

 casionally over its surface. It thereby becomes 

 blended with other matters less disposed to ferment, 

 is trodden by the stock, and the air, one of the agents 

 in causing it to ferment, is in a measure excluded. 

 Under cover, it should not be suffered to accumulate 

 in excess without the admixture of earthy matters, 

 which will retard fermentation and preserve moist- 

 ure. It is often convenient to draw manure to the 

 field in the autumn oj winter, where it is to be used. 

 If such manure has not undergone fermentation, it 

 should never be laid in heaps of more than three feet 

 in depth, or more than six or eight loads together; 

 the surface should be handsomely smoothed off, and 

 then covered, when the frost will permit, with six 

 or eight inches of sod or earth. This prevents vio- 

 lent fermentation, and the loss of the gaseous mat- 

 ters which fermentation always sends off. 

 I. L 



