This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1795. Excerpt: ... STABLE, FARM YARD DUNG, AND COMPOSTS. When Cato was asked what was the best system of farming, he thrice answered, that the best system of farming was to procure food for cattle; a reply which refers to obvious consequences, and requires no explanation. Although it is a common saying in Scotland, that c muck is the mother of the meal chest," still there is no country where the preservation of the urine of cattle, and the juices of dung-heaps, are so little attended to; or where the farmers, in general, are at so little pains to procure the greatest quantity of an article so indispensably necessary to the obtaining abundant crops. In England, the farmers are much more attentive to the making and collecting this species of manure, and their conveniencies of farm-yards, and other places for preserving dung, are better chosen. These are not only kept fully littered, but the lanes and hollow ways, in the vicinity vicinity of the farm-yard, are frequently filled with, haulm, or inferior straw. The putrefaction of it is promoted by being trodden, and by receiving the urine of passing cattle, which would be much facilitated, were the place in which it is deposited overshaded with trees, and sheltered from the too great action of wind and rain. In Scotland, a preference is generally given to a sloping bank or rising ground for the situation of farmhouses and offices; and, as there are but few instances, unless of a recent date, where an inclosed farm-yard is to be met with, the urine from the stables and cowhouses, as well as the juices from the dung heap, run off, or are washed away by the rains, and turn to no good account. The want of proper farm-yards and conveniencies is "but one of the reasons why a less quantity of dung is made by the farmers in Scotland th...