136 Stocking Land. 



manure purchased has been sea-sand. This has been used as 

 bedding for bullocks, horses, and sheep, instead of straw. It cost. 

 me Qs. Sd. per ton, as I have to draw it 8 miles. Speaking 

 roughly, I think that for bedding purposes the ton of sand goes 

 as far as the ton of straw, while the latter costs me 30s. per ton„ 

 Except in the stables, 1 do not like to see any straw used for litter, 

 though it has not been easy to break through the feeling of the 

 attendants that the comfort of the animals required its use. The 

 economy, however, of converting straw into food instead of litter 

 seems so great, that 1 have persevered in the use of the sand ; and 

 I think my bailiff and men would generally now give it the pre- 

 ference. The effect of the manure has been very striking : in the 

 last very dry summer, 22 acres yielded fully 45 tons of hay ; 

 the quick action of the sand-manure has been noticed much by 

 the neighbouring farmers ; it has also been found that the sheep 

 can be pastured upon the ground very much sooner alter the sand, 

 than after straw-manure. This distinction may depend upon 

 the salt which it contains. The remarkable healthiness of my 

 stock, in spite of the number kept to the acre, may perhaps be 

 attributed to the free use of this sand ; though something is due 

 to the high situation on the borders of Exmoor, and much to the 

 healthy action of the slaty subsoil. 



Quantity of Stock to the Acre. — The balance-sheet does not of 

 itself explain the number of stock kept on the 30 acres, because it 

 does not give the dates of all the purchases, or the quantity of extra 

 land, the temporary hire of which is included in the general 

 charge for purchased food. But I think I can say with certainty 

 that the average number of sheep kept during the year upon the 

 30 acres has been 150. For a few weeks there were less than 

 this number, in order to favour the hay-crop ; but after the hay 

 season there were, for some weeks, as many as 300 on the glebe. 



As a general rule, the ewes have a range of about 6 acres to 

 80 head. During the winter they have chaff, turnips, and a 

 little meal. The present allowance (the highest in the year) is, 

 for 80 ewes on the glebe, — 



s. d. 



2 lb. of meal each, at lj(7 4 2 a day. 



, i ton of roots, 14 lbs. a-piecc, at 12s. .. 6 0,, 



90 lbs. of chaff (f hay, at 4?. 10s.,) „ n. 

 i straw, at 30s.) ^ o u „ 



13 2 or 2(1. a day for each ewe. 

 Another lot of ewes in better condition, and having a better 

 range of pasture, are receiving only ^ lb. of meal and 5 lbs. of 

 roots, without any chaff. During the summer months the ewes 

 graze in large folds, frequently changed, so as to allow the grass 

 to freshen behind them. According to the weather, they will lie in 



