On Soiling Cattle, 345 



frost commences ; when the dung is hkely to incom- 

 mode the cattle, the yards and sheds are scraped, and it 

 is hauled out and mixed into compost to prevent fur- 

 ther evaporation ; this appears to be a very wasteful ma- 

 nagement of dung, and if the cattle w^ould thrive equally 

 as well tied up, the difference in labour would be more 

 than compensated in the quantity and quaUty of the ma- 

 nure ; and European writers say, soiling in airy sheds 

 and cool stables answer, but whether difference in cli- 

 mate or the habits of cattle are against that practice here^ 

 is unknown to me ; but I suspect the difference in ex- 

 pense would be found trivial or perhaps not any; for the 

 scraping extensive yards as frequent as necessary, can 

 be little less expensive than the daily cleaning of the 

 stalls, and the wheeling from the yards to the stercora- 

 ries will be more scattered and distant, consequently 

 more expensive than performing the same work daily 

 from the sheds. If this reasoning be correct, there can 

 be but little, if any difference in the expense as it re- 

 spects the dung, and I strongly suspect, two cart loads 

 of that properly saved, would produce more vegetation 

 than three of that which had been drenched with the rain 

 and scorched with the sun, and it only remains to make 

 a set off against geering and ungeering the cattle twice 

 per day, (they do not require much water when on 

 green food) and scraping the dung off from them once in 

 the same time ; and this it has been found may be spec- 

 dily and sufficiently performed with a piece of an old 

 scythe fixed into a wooden handle. When the cattle are 

 tied up less than half the shed room will suffice, the 

 cost of building, repairs, interest, and ultimate decay will 

 be saved ; it will be less expensive to spread the grass 



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