Mr. Lawrence, of Cirencester, and described by him at
length in Morton's 'Cyclopaedia of Agriculture,' under the head of
'Manure.'"

CHAPTER XVI.

AN ENGLISH PLAN OF KEEPING MANURE.

"I would like to know," said the Deacon, "how Mr. Lawrence manages his
manure, especially as his method has received such high commendation."

Charley got the second volume of "Morton's Cyclopaedia of Agriculture,"
from the book shelves, and turned to the article on "Manure." He found
that Mr. Lawrence adopted the "Box System" of feeding cattle, and used
cut or chaffed straw for bedding. And Mr. Lawrence claims that by this
plan "manure will have been made under the most perfect conditions." And
"when the boxes are full at those periods of the year at which manure is
required for the succeeding crops, it will be most advantageously
disposed of by being transferred at once to the land, and covered in."

"Good," said the Deacon, "I think he is right there." Charley continued,
and read as follows:

"But there will be accumulations of manure requiring removal from the
homestead at other seasons, at which it cannot be so applied, and when
it must be stored for future use. The following has been found an
effectual and economical mode of accomplishing this; more particularly
when cut litter is used, it saves the cost of repeated turnings, and
effectually prevents the decomposition and waste of the most active and
volatile principle.

"Some three or more spots are selected according to the size of the
farm, in convenient positions for access to the land under tillage, and
by the side of the farm roads. The sites fixed on are then excavated
about two feet under the surrounding surface. In the bottom is laid some
three or four inches of earth to absorb any moisture, on which the
manure is emptied from the carts. This is evenly spread, and well
trodden as the heap is forming. As soon as this is about a foot above
the ground level, to allow for sinking, the heap is gradually gathered
in, until it is completed in the form of an ordinary steep roof,
slightly rounded at the top by the final treading. In the course of
building this up, about a bushel of salt, to two cart-loads of dung is
sprinkled amongst it. The base laid out at any one time should not
exceed that required by the manure ready for the complete formation of
the heap as far as it goes; and within a day or two after such portion
is built up, and it has settled into shape, a th