WATER MEADOWS. 311 



Account delivered to Mr. Smithy by order of his Grace the Improvcmeni: 

 Duke of Bedford, of the produce of nine acres from ^^'°^^^l^^^* 

 Prisley PVatcr-Meadozo, made out of a Bog, 



1803. Marcli ^9. — Stocked it with 12 score of sheep, 



kept them three weeks. 

 April 16. — Shut it up for hay. 

 June 23. — Cut the first crop of hay, supposed to be abovt 



two tons per acre. 

 August 20. — Cut the second crop, supposed to be one 



and a half ton per acre. 

 September 16. — Stocked it with four score of fat sheep, 



three weeks ; after that it was pastured with lean 



bullocks, as long and as often as they could find 



food. 



1804. February 27. — Stocked it with eight score and 

 four lamb-hogs. 



April 28. — They have now been nine weeks. This is 

 more than eighteen sheep to an acre for nine 

 weeks. It had more and better water this last 

 winter than the winter before, but from our want 

 of grass upon the farm, we have eaten it longer 

 than we should have done. 

 June 21st. — Began cutting the first crop of hay, which is 

 a greater quantity than the year before, and a 

 larger proportion of the best grasses. 

 N,B. At the Woburn sheep-shearing in June, 1805, 

 the above meadow was examined by the Secretary of 

 the Society, when the quantity of the grass upon it was 

 not only found to be great, but the kinds of grass it 

 produced in general, excellent in quality, and appear- 

 ing, on comparison, to improve every year. 



Jieference to the annexed Plan of the six Acres of Water-. 

 Meadow, on Prisley Farm, — Plate VIII, 



1. The main hatch, which, when closed, occasions 

 the water that is to irrigate the meadow, to flow into the 

 feeder which fills the highest cuts, made upon the first 



eight 



