ON MANURES. 17 



straw of wlieat absorbs more moisture, and it is supposed to 

 be equal to three times its weight after it has been saturated 

 with urine. 



It was the system of Bakewell, during a part of his life, to 

 convert the whole of the straw mto food for liis stock, and it 

 was also the opinion of many of his supporters, that this mode 

 of consuming straw would not only tend considerably to 

 increase the number of black cattle, but also to improve the 

 quality of manure; for they argued — 'that straw is not alone 

 thus rendered fit for the support of live-stock, but that, by being- 

 digested and passed through their bodies, it must become a 

 much more highly enriched manure than in the ordinary way 

 of treading and rotting.' Bakewell, however, altered his 

 opinion at a later period of his life, and the doctrine is cer- 

 tainly questionable ; for although it be true that a part of the 

 straw, when eaten, assists the fermentation of the remainder, 

 yet, when partly used as a litter, it at once absorbs the urine, 

 which is, perhaps, of more value, as manure, than straw which 

 has been merely masticated and digested, without being com- 

 bined with richer food ; and it is yet very doubtful whether, 

 if all the straw in the kingdom were to be passed through the 

 intestines of animals, the manure made from their dung would 

 not be thereby reduced both in quality and quantity. The 

 practice differs in various counties : in some parts of Yorkshire, 

 and other places, a farmer commonly makes his cattle eat 

 almost every particle of straw, leaving scarcely any to litter 

 their stalls; while in Norfolk, they convert nearly the whole 

 into muck, and no system is considered more impoverishing to 

 land, than that of applying the stra\v as food instead of tread- 

 ing it into dung. 



The medium course is doubtless the most to be approved 

 when it can be conveniently carried into effect; but there are 

 many farms which either do not produce turnips, or only suffi- 

 cient for their sheep, by which they are eaten off upon the 

 land, and corn or oil-cake being too expensive for store and 

 working stock, they must necessarily be chiefly kept upon 

 straw. It is therefore profusely used for store-cattle in most 

 yards, yet, by having abundance, they pick out the best and 

 leave the refuse for litter ; it is only necessary to supply it 

 fresh, with a moderate quantity of turnips, or any succulent 

 root, to promote the secretion of urine, and the manure thus 

 produced will be found of excellent quality ; but if they be 



