Proceedings of the Faemers' C'Lun. 787 



roots, potatoes and the like, or as shelter for pigs, calves, etc. Upon 

 the whole, a different procedure, involving- somewhat more of labor, 

 but giving a manure of more homogeneous character, is preferable. 

 Such a method will be found in wliat may be termed a modification 

 of the earth closet system, a portion of the absorbent being supplied 

 just at the place where it is required, and mingled at once with 

 whatever liquid or solid is dropped upon it. For such purpose the 

 muck should be stored in an out-house close to the stable door, and 

 each morning when the stables are cleaned the rear portion of the- 

 floor should be covered half an inch deep with the dry material. 

 Over this the wet and soiled litter may be thrown to keep the muck 

 from being dusted about by the feet of the animals. Saturated with 

 liquids in the course of the day, it should be shoveled over at night 

 with the more solid droppings, and the whole throw^n into a covered 

 shed outside, where it will ferment and midergo those changes 

 which render it more immediately available when mingled with the 

 soil. It has frequently been suggested — and sometimes put in 

 practice — to allow the liquid manure to run into a tank, and after- 

 ward pump it upon the manure heap. Even where this is done the 

 use of muck is advisable, because the dry vegetable substance will 

 possess greater power of absorption than the moist excreta even of 

 horses or sheep, which is dryer than that of most other farm animals, 

 and because, as there will presently be occasion to mention, the 

 decomposition of the muck will evolve a greater quantity of the 

 organic acids which, in the fermentation of stable manure, play a 

 most important part in the fixation of its valuable constituents. 



The farmer will perceive that the prime object, in the present 

 connection, is to secure the greatest saturation of the mnck by the 

 liquid portion of manure. To insure this he may use either of the 

 methods above mentioned, or any other that his ingenuity may 

 devise. The prime truth to be kept in mind is that, aside from the 

 components of the muck itself, of themselves comparatively unim- 

 portant, the compost is worth just wliat is put into it and no more. 

 We mingle with it the solid manure as a matter of convenience, 

 but the great value of using muck in stable practice is the saving of the 

 liquid manure, Avhich by any other treatment would, in whole or in 

 part, be lost. The value of tliis saving may be estimated when we con- 

 sider that although the quantity of water in the urine, say of the horse, 

 is in excess of that in the dung in the proportion of eighty-five and one- 

 half to seventy-seven and one-quarter, yet a portion of the solid matter 



