1006 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER BOOK xi. 



contains not only the constituents of urine, but portions of the more 

 valuable ingredients of the solid matters of the manure rendered soluble 

 by fermentation. 



Clearly, then, we must make the most of the absorbent properties 

 of the straw, since the supply of straw is generally limited, and to do 

 this we should allow its absorbing power to be spent only on the urine 

 and fsecal matter that we want to preserve. If we allow the rain to fall 

 on it, some of its absorbent power is spent in sopping up the rain, and 

 consequently it will hold less real manurial liquor. If the rain is 

 allowed to super-saturate it, then such portions as are not retained 

 will be spent in washing out manurial ingredients, to the weakening of 

 the manure and the impoverishment of the farm, if the liquid drainage 

 is not collected. 



For this reason, apart even from the important question of the 

 comfort and good health of stock, it is advisable to have the farm-yard 

 covered. Light iron roofing can nowadays be put up at no great 

 expense, and probably few farmers who have once become used to a 

 covered farm-yard would care to go back to the old open-yard system. 



Even in a covered yard manure cannot be prevented altogether from 

 draining, but if the yard be properly bricked and guttered, there is no 

 difficulty in conducting the drainage to an underground tank, which 

 can also be made to collect the urine from cow-sheds, &c., &c., from 

 which tank the liquid manure can be pumped into carts and distributed 

 where it may be required as leisure allows. 



The first thing then is to take care of the dung in the course of its 

 formation; the next is to take care of it when "made." In covered 

 yards the dung may accumulate under foot to a considerable depth, 

 particularly if the litter is largely in the form of roughly chaffed straw, 

 so that the dung treads into a firm consolidated mass, or if the straw 

 be augmented by the use of peat-moss litter, which is very much more 

 absorptive of liquids. Eventual^, however, quickly (unless it is 

 allowed to spoil in the rain) in the case of open yards, and less speedily 

 in the case of closed ones, but in either case, eventually, the dung 

 finds its way to the " dung-heap," which must be made with proper 

 care if we are to guard against loss by drainage and undue loss by 

 fermentation. 



It is fermentation, or " heating," that "mellows" the manure and 

 makes it ready to exert a prompt action on the soil and crops, and this 

 fermentation mainh' goes on in the dung-heap. If it does not properly 

 ferment, or if decomposition does not go on so expeditiously as could 

 be wished, the admission of air will promote it. The admission of air 

 to the dung-heap has been well termed the stimulating of a slow fire, 

 which, if not judiciously controlled by due supplies of moisture, will 

 result in passing into the air a large quantity of fertilising gases. 



It frequently happens, however, that fermentation proceeds too 

 rapidly for the purpose of the farmer, and thus some of the most 

 valuable properties of the manure are lost, and the quantity also 

 becomes seriously reduced. In such case the heaps should be imme- 

 diately turned and mixed with a considerable quantity of mould ; and 



