lSo4. On ^Dils proper for Rearing Sheep, 434 



turage from that time to near the latter end of Augufl, after 

 which it is gooti for notliing. Though not quite fo common ;»s 

 the two other kinds, yet it is to be found in fomc pkiccs, in con- 

 fiderable quantities* It delights mod in a foil conipofcd of mofa 

 and earth, incumbent on a firm bottom of earth and gravel, and 

 is obferved to abound more in low than high grounds. Like 

 white bent, it cannot be too often burnt ; for if this praftice is 

 negledted only for a few years, the accumulated produce of thcfc 

 fealons renders the foil fo coarfe and unprodudtive, that flieep 

 feldom pafture upon it ^ and, what they do get, aiTords but little 

 nouriihment. Some foils are confiderably benefited, by grafs and 

 weeds being allowed to rot upon them ; but this does not feem 

 to be the cafe with mofly ones ; for it is found from experience, 

 that the more old grafs or other decayed vegetables there is up- 

 on the furface, fo much the worfe is the produce of that feafon* 



Lingi which I am next to confider, is exclufively the produc- 

 tion of mofs foils, efpecialiy fuch as are flat, wet and deep. It 

 produces fmall (talks, with black oval heads, known here by the 

 name of mofi-crop. Thefe italks, being among the firil vernal 

 productions, are eagerly fought after by.ftieep, even to the en- 

 dangering of their lives, in holes and morales. In May they 

 are covered with a white downy fubitance, nothing inferior to 

 the fineft cotton ; but from and after that time ilieep are not 

 difpofed to cat them. Ling is proper for food from the begin- 

 ning of March to the latter end of Autumn, and even before 

 and after thefe times, if the weather is frefh and mild j for fo 

 ftrong are the vegetative powers of this plant, and fo great is 

 the influence of the weather upon it, that a wonderful altera- 

 tion takes place in a few frelh days. In Spring, flieep receive 

 much nourifliment from its roots, which they pull up and eat 

 with great avidity, as they are then frefh and nutritive. It is 

 excellent food for lean (heep, being of a more coftive nature 

 than young grafs, yet not lefs nourilhing ; of courfe it feeds as 

 well, and at the fame time preferves from the rufJi or diarrhoea, 

 a very formidable difeafe, to lean hogs in particular. 



There are other plants common in morafies, and even in wet 

 meadow lands, where the foil is a little inclined to mofs, which 

 produce (talks and flowers fimilar to thofe of ling, and are cloth- 

 ed with the fame downy fubltance ; but as they do not appear 

 to be reli(hed by flieep, jt is unneceiTary to take farther notice 

 of them. 



Deer-hair is nearly of the (liape and fize of ling, and is fome- 

 times found in a flat deep mofs along with it, though oftener in 

 a mofs foil more dry and tenacious, which it feems to prefer to 

 all others. It fprings about the. middle of April, blofToms at 



the 



