ON THE MANAGEMENT OF GRASS LANDS IN ENGLAND. 99 



the land completely cleared of fog or old grass by November, 

 every tuft and rough bunch eaten down completely bare, and all 

 sour and unpalatable patches mown, by this means the growth 

 of weeds and rank grasses are discouraged, and the pastures 

 gradually improved. During the summer months it is part of 

 the duties of the shepherd to collect the droppings of the cattle 

 from the shade of the trees or hedges, and either place them in 

 a heap for future use, or at once carefully spread them on the 

 weakest part of the field. Every pasture field is gone over at 

 least once a month during the summer, and all the droppings or 

 clots knocked and spread. On some farms a few Welsh runts 

 are wintered out. In severe weather they receive a foddering 

 of rough hay twice a-day; on others, where the land is principally 

 in gTass, open sheds with yards attached are placed in the different 

 fields; the cattle are daily foddered in the sheds, and have the 

 run of the fields during the day. Except on very sound old 

 pasture, this system is objectionable in wet seasons, as the land 

 is much injured by the trampling of the cattle. On mixed 

 occupations the stock is all wintered in straw-yards, surrounded 

 by open sheds furnished with mangers to hold artificial food. 

 Both linseed and cotton cake are largely used with straw. We 

 prefer the former, as it tends to keep the animals in a more 

 healthy condition. The usual allowance of cake is 4 lbs. per head 

 per diem. Turnips are now little used for store cattle, owing to 

 the high rate of labour. On large tillage farms with little grass 

 land, cattle are taken in to winter. The grazier finds linseed 

 cake at the rate of 4 lbs. per head per day, the tillage farm 

 supplying the straw and attendance. We have tried ground 

 barley instead of oilcake, cutting the straw into chaff and mixing 

 with the barley meal. In this way the straw is economised, but 

 the cost of labour is greatly enhanced. The heating nature of 

 the barley is another great objection. Cattle wintered on barley 

 meal invariably rub off most of their hair when turned out to 

 grass, and should cold weather set in they soon deteriorate in 

 value to a considerable extent. Cattle wintered on cake never 

 loose their hair when turned out. The best graziers seldom feed 

 any cows or heifers ; if they do so, they are careful to keep them 

 entirely by themselves. If in the same field with bullocks, they 

 unsettle them, and when bulling they are often the source of 

 accident and loss. On the best land oxen pay best, one bullock 

 and a sheep per Imperial acre is sufficient stock for the finest 

 land. The beasts are turned on the pastures from the 1st to 

 the 20th of May, according as the season is backward or early. 

 The rent of the best land varies from 50s to 70s per acre. Cattle 

 bought in at May-day will go off fat between August and 

 October, and leave on an average L.5 per head for their keep. 

 As a rule, graziers use no artificial manures on their grass 



