of the Liquid Manure of a Farm. 
3 
floor used in this way for many reasons : it forms a warmer 
bed than any other material, being a much better non-conductor 
of heat than stone or tile, and tlie liquid is enabled to separate 
and flow off more quickly than when it has to find its way among 
straw in a compressed state, on a sloped stone floor ; it is, there- 
fore, from this circumstance also a drier bed than any other at 
present in use. By this plan but little liquid is absorbed by the 
straw, which is an important consideration in farm management, 
since it has been shown theoretically, and confirmed by practice, 
that straw is so much more valuable for feeding purposes than 
for litter, that a cheaper substitute as an absorbent or vehicle for 
the liquid manure should be made use of. This is a question 
of general economy, quite independent of the mode of using the 
liquid afterwards. The primary and indispensable preliminary 
for carrying out this process of irrigation, is the securing an 
ample supply of water. This supply will be required not only 
for the purpose of diluting the liquid manure, but also to furnish 
additional dressings of water, so that the soil may never be parched 
at the early stage of growth in the crop. From calculations which 
Avill be given in detail further on, it will appear that, in con- 
nexion with two large tanks, containing 25,000 gallons a-piece, 
and a small extra tank, holding 5000 gallons, a stream furnish- 
ing a constant yield of 7^ gallons per minute will meet all the 
requirements of 10 acres of irrigated land.* This is on the sup- 
position that irrigation will be carried on one day out of three, 
or to the same extent working only half a day at a time. Any 
less run than this will require more complicated arrangements or 
the less perfect application of this system. In many cases this 
supply can be obtained by tapping and collecting springs from a 
higher level, also by making use of the outfall from as many 
drains as possible, which, instead of being carried away indis- 
criminately, should be taken into one main drain and then led 
along the level into the tanks, or to some spot within reach of the 
pumps. The surface-water can in many parts be collected and 
turned to account, or a good supply may be had by sinking a well. 
The peculiarities of the situation must, in each case, determine 
the course to be preferred. 
For the sake of giving a consistent and detailed view of the 
course of action which I recommend, it is advisable for me to 
take a special example which may be readily modified so as to 
adapt it to occupations of various sizes. Let us then from a farm 
of 150 or 200 acres lay off a square of 20 acres as the proportion 
* This supply ■will provide not only for thai irrigation of three acres per week 
■with dilute summer- dressings, but also for a copious application of pure ■water to 
two acres ; at this rate one -week's supply will dilute nearly all of the proposed 
■winter's stock, if it he really expedient to let this accumulate. — P. H. F. 
B 2 
