STALL-MANURE AND STRAW. l33 



solid mass, a large portion is again chemically united 

 with and firmly held by the humus that is simulta- 

 neously formed ; the more energetic operation of ma- 

 nure produced and preserved in the stable, when 

 contrasted with that of the ordinary dung-heap, re- 

 ceives a very natural explanation. 



It follows also, from what has been already com- 

 municated, that the apprehension of injury to the 

 cattle from the vitiated air engendered in the stable 

 by the retention of the manure is quite unfounded, 

 and it has, moreover, been contradicted by experi- 

 ence. In carefully kept stables, where the depth of 

 manure sometimes amounted to four feet, or even 

 more, I have perceived no more noticeable impurity 

 of the air than in others from which the manure was 

 daily removed. A disagreeably pungent, ammoni- 

 acal odor was only remarked when the stalls were 

 used at the same time as manure-puddles, that is, 

 when the drainings running from the manure were 

 allowed to stand in the stable ; it was, however, due 

 to the excess of putrid drainings, not to the stall- 

 manure. If provision is made, as ought to be the 

 case in stabling of this kind, for the proper passage 

 of the urine not absorbed by the straw into the drain- 

 ings-reservoir, cattle standing therein will be just as 

 healthy as in ordinary stables. Admitting that a 

 more increased development of ammoniacal exhala- 

 tions may really happen, — for example, in hot sum- 

 mer weather, — a cheap and simple remedy lies 

 within reach of every farmer. A pound of sulphuric 

 12 



