276 A Plan for maling Hay from Heath. July 



qualities both of the cabbage and turnip. But, allowing 

 turnips, hay, and other articles to be produced in much 

 greater quantity than they are, even in the nioft fertile of the 

 Swediih pvoA^inccs, it v.ould be found impoihble to tranfport 

 them to the higher diilri£is, owing to the very inacceihble 

 nature of the country, tlie badnefs, indeed the almoil entire 

 want, of roads, and other unfavourable circumftances. Thus 

 infulated, and cut oH" as it were from every fupply but the 

 produce of their own mountains, neceflity has, with the boors 

 of Sweden, become the parent of indultry and invention, and 

 taught them to appretiate the value of an article (defpifed or 

 neglected in other countries) which they fmd fully adequate 

 to their wants, and have for the trouble only of cutting and 

 curing. 



Were we fimply to rcafon upon the fubje£l, we would fup- 

 pofe, that a practice winch has obtained for a length of time in 

 any country, and from experience been found ufeful, would 

 be adopted in every fimilar fituation. Britain refembles Swe- 

 den in many refpedls. Both countries can boaft of the mod 

 fertile corn provinces in Europe, and, in both^ there is a 

 large extent hilly and mountainous. It is well known, that 

 thefe parts of Sweden, by the induftry of the inhabitants, are 

 rendered highly productive, principally by their management 

 of heath. Have we any reafon to think, that the produce 

 of the hilly and mountainous parts of Britain would be lefs 

 valuablelj or of a quality lefs nourifliipg ? The foil is, in every 

 inftance, equally good, and the advantage, in point of climate, 

 greatly in our favour. Tliis laft circumftance renders the cut- 

 ting and fubfequent treatment much eafier in this country, tharn 

 it pofhbly can be there. 



At prefent, the ufage of the high lands and uplands through- 

 out Britain, is to burn the heath, with a view to improve 

 their pafture. By that operation, the tops of both heath and 

 grafs are completely deftroyed, and a confiderable time elapfes 

 before new ihoots are produced •, whereas, were the heath 

 cut for Winter food, in the way we have mentioned, it would 

 fend out new (hoots the following Spring ; which, being of 

 a tender and fucculent nature, would form a palatable article 

 of^food for {heep, with this additional advantage, that the 

 grafs which grows amiongft it would fpring up at the fame 

 time, and add to the value of the pafture. 



In cafes where heath grounds have been cut or burnt for a 

 few years, if the furface is tolerably fmooth, the heath may 

 be cut with a ftrong fcythe j but M^hen it is of many years 



growth, 



