ii'j4 ^ Pl<i" fo>' Jiia^l'ig Hiiy front Hauh. Ju^y 



prevented thofc that furvived frcni acquiring flcfli or ftrengtli 

 at the proper feafon : In that debilitated {late, they encoun- 

 tered one of the feverefl Winters ever reinembered ; an evil 

 that was greatly aggravatetl by the heavy fall of fnow at its 

 commencement, v/hich in many places entirely deprived them 

 of food. The confequences are but too well known. Great 

 numbers periflied in the firit inilance j and, of thofe that 

 reached the Spring, many have died from weaknefs alone. 

 This, however, has not genci-ally been die cafe ; as, upon 

 almoft every farm where a fulhciency of hay and other arti- 

 cles of a good quality were laid up, the flock has been kept 

 in tolerable condition during the Winter, and reached the 

 Spring nearly in the ufual way. 



The evils ariiing from the want of a proper provifion for 

 the (lock upon Highland farms, during Winter, has long 

 been cbferved and lamented by intelligent men ; and many 

 attempts have been made, both by patriotic individuals and 

 public focieties, to leffen them. Amongfl thefe, the labours 

 of the Highland Society hold a diftinguifhed place, and will 

 long be remembered by the country at large with gratitude 

 and pleafure. The encouragement held out to Highland 

 farmers, for the purpofe of enabling them to fov/ broad clo- 

 ver, and cultivate turnips and other green crops, has already 

 produced very beneficial effects j and, if carried to th^ extent: 

 of which the fyftem is capable, will, in many diiln6ls, not 

 only prevent the evils arihng from bad Winters, but produce 

 additional benefit, by enabling the farmers to keep their 

 young flock in a growing flate tliroughout the whole year ; a 

 matter of much more importance than is generally imagined j 

 as both flieep and cattle, fo treated, make more progrefs in 

 two years, than fuch as are half-ilarved during the Winter 

 ufually do in five. But, as there are many extenfive tracls> 

 where the nature of the foil and other circumflances prevent 

 green crops from being introduced to any great extent, it, 

 is of much importance to perfons pofrcffing farms in thefe 

 parts, to be able to fubftitute fomething in their place : — that 

 lubilitute, nature has bountifully provided, even in the moft ■ 

 expofad fituations. 



The article we mean, is heath ; which, from the experience 

 of ages, is known to contain a wholefome and palatable 

 nourilhment, when eaten in a green flate \ and, it is well 

 known, proves that every kind of green herbage, hitherto- 

 employed for feeding our domeftic animals, is alfo calculated 

 to fupport them in health and vigour, when dried, provided 



it 



