424 FEEDING ANIMALS. 



and liquid were completely preserved, we found the effect 

 quite equal to feeding upon the land. We have, therefore, 

 adopted a water-tight receptacle under the platform on 

 which our cattle stand in winter, and cows, during night, 

 in summer, and the excrement is hauled fresh to the field, 

 thereby preserving all its fertilizing elements. 



SHEEP ON WORN-OUT LANDS. 



We have illustrated this matter of the return for the 

 food in the value of the manure at considerable length, be- 

 cause it has a strong bearing upon the profits of sheep 

 husbandry in the older States. At most of the agricultu- 

 ral discussions in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, 

 New Hampshire, and in some of the Middle States, the great 

 complaint is that their agriculture is in a state of decay, 

 their farms are deteriorating the product being less year 

 by year. In the first two States named, many of the farms, 

 once profitable, are abandoned, as having no agricultural 

 value, although these farms are near the best markets of the 

 country. These farms are mostly upland, that had a fair 

 natural fertility ; but by long cropping, and little return of 

 the drafts made upon them, have ceased to respond to labor 

 so improvidently bestowed. There must be reciprocity in 

 agriculture as in other matters. The great law of equiva- 

 lence is here enforced something for something. 



It is evident that a regular system of mutton and wool- 

 growing upon such lands would very soon produce an im- 

 provement, and that these lands might profitably be 

 brought back to their original fertility, and to a much 

 higher market value than they have ever held. Sheep-hus- 

 bandry takes the preference of dairy-husbandry for this pur- 

 pose: First, because the competition in the latter is much 

 greater; in fact, there is properly no competition in sheep- 

 husbandry in this country ; for the whole product of wool 

 is much less than the home demand, and good mutton is 



