68 IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL BY 



Other vegetable matters. These materials will absorb or 

 take up the urine and other liquids, and, becoming incor- 

 porated with the dung, double or treble the ordinary quan- 

 tity of manure. During the continuance of frost, the 

 excavation gives no inconvenience ; and when the weath- 

 er is soft, the borders afford space for feeding the cattle, 

 and for a dry passage to the barn. In this way the urine 

 is saved, and the waste incident to rains, &c. prevented. 

 The barns and sheds which adjoin the yards, should be 

 provided with eve-gutters, w-hich should discharge out- 

 side of the yard, so that the waters from the roofs may 

 pass off. 



As a further precaution against waste by rains, a cis- 

 tern or tank may be sunk near the yard, into which an 

 under drain may be made to conduct the liquids, w^hen 

 they are likely to accumulate to excess. These Hquids 

 may be pumped into casks upon carts, and employed to 

 great advantage upon grass or arable crops. The Flem- 

 ings call these liquids the cooked food of their crops. 



To guard against the wasting influence of the sun in 

 summer, a roughly constructed covering, supported by 

 posts, may be erected over the central depot. This is 

 seldom necessary under our mode of management, which 

 requires a thorough cleaning of the yard every spring, 

 for the corn, potato, and other root crops. 



The cattle should be kept constantly yarded in winter, 

 except when let out to water, not only because, if suf- 

 fered to run at large, they poach and injure the fields and 

 meadows, but because they waste their dung ; and the 

 yard should be frequently replenished with fresh litter. 

 Upon this plan, from ten to twelve loads of manure may 

 readily be obtained, every spring, from each animal win- 

 tered in the yard. If the manure from the horse-stables, 

 and from stalled neat cattle, be added, the quantity will 

 not only be proportionally increased, but the quality im- 

 proved. Whenever the yard is thoroughly cleaned for 

 spring crops, it ought to be again bedded with fresh earth, 

 and well littered. 



2d. The stables, whether occupied by horses or cattle, 

 may be made to contribute much to the value of the yard 



