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[Page 9]
as waste; and most of that which yielded favorable crops at first is now barren and wore out. For this we must look to Government as the first, by their having so much stock; and who have lately begun to apply it, but not upon a good plan. This has been done, by confining cattle in temporary pens or folds. But in a climate like this, its strength or virtue is soon exhaled by the heat of the sun. In the stock yards the dung is shovelled up into small heaps, and mostly a deal of dirt with it, as the cattle are frequently up to their knees in mud in wet weather.
I have never seen these yards bedded with straw, and for want of which, the virtue of the dung is either exhaled as before observed, or washed away by the rain.
Straw is generally thrown away, even what I have seen used as litter, has been but scantily. In making of manure here, the yards ought to be paved in places, or to have a good hard bottom, which would also benefit the cattle as well as be a saving in the above article; the cattle well littered and a long hole made in the ground for to put the dung into, in order to protect it from the scorching rays of the sun; and which should be so situated as to receive the urine* too . I do not recollect of seeing any marle.
*On the southern side of Manchester the farmers have wells sunk near their dung hills, which receive the urine of the cattle, and the overplus dung water from the dung hills. A pump is placed in the well; and in the spring it is emptied and carted into the meadow in a large cask, and sprinkled upon the ground by a trough box full of holes and placed at the end of the cask.