In the farm-buildings, the fittings up of the poultry-houses, the rabbit-house, and the dairy and dairy scullery, well deserve attention; and also the arrangement for fermenting the food of the pigs in under-ground cisterns, not too warm for summer, nor so cold as to check fermentation in winter. The manure of the horses, of the cows, of the pigs, of the rabbits, of the pigeons, and of the poultry, is kept in separate pits, that it may be used, if desirable, in making up different composts. three liquid-manure tanks, in which the liquid matter, which in most farmyards is wasted, is fermented, and afterwards mixed up with soil for use in the kitchen-garden, or used in forming composts for particular plants. The liquid manure from the stables is kept apart from that from the cow-house; and the general drainings of the yard, and of the frame-ground in the kitchen-garden, are fermented by themselves. The liquid manure with which Mr. Pratt waters his plants is formed chiefly of the sweepings of the pigeon, rabbit, and cow houses, with lime; and is kept in a cask in a close shed (60 in the plan fig. 159. in p. 642, 643.), so that the temperature admits of its fermenting in winter, as well as in summer: a thick scum rises to the top of the cask, and the liquid is drawn out from the bottom as clear as old ale. The plants which Mr. Pratt waters with this liquid are chiefly those of rapid growth, such as the Datura, Brugmansia, and other soft-wooded tree plants which, like these, are cut in every year, and appear to profit by the stimulating effect of this manure. He gives it also, occasionally, to various other plants which appear to want vigour; but has not yet had sufficient experience of its effects, to give a list of plants to which it ought to be applied. In order to produce as much manure as possible, as well for the farm as for the garden, all leaves, haulm, and waste vegetable matters, are carefully collected, and fermented by the addition of fresh stable dung; and heaps of different kinds of soils, procured from different parts of the country, are constantly kept in the slip adjoining the frame-ground, ready for use. The grounds being nearly level are readily supplied with water from the ponds and from the brook; and there are concealed wells, communicating with these sources by pipes from the brook, in different parts of the grounds, and more especially in the kitchen-garden, from which the plants can be abundantly watered in the growing season with comparatively little labour; there being six different places, including the ponds and brook, from which the gardeners take water, and all the strawberries are planted close to the wells in the inner and outer walled gardens. The kitchen-gardens, the hot-houses, and the store-houses and some other structures can be locked up at pleasure, Mr. Harrison and Mr. Pratt being the only persons having complete master keys. Part of the outer kitchen-garden is enclosed with an open iron spike fence, 5 ft. 6 in. high, within which and the inner walled garden are the strawberries and choicest gooseberries, figs, &c., and these enclosures are opened only by the master keys. The whole, therefore, of the wall and best fruit is secured from plunder.
