071 Heavy and Light Land. 243 



meaty twist, «Scc. &c. On such a frame Ave must have a springing 

 pelt and a good jacket. To obtain this we must not grudge 

 15 or 20 guineas for a shearling ram to be used in a pure flock, 

 though for cross-breeding well-shaped males may be had for 

 less money. Such rams should be sought for from those who do 

 not overfeed for shows or sale, or disappointment and loss will 

 ensue. The difficulty of reducing over-fed rams to a working 

 condition is very great, and they are very liable to be carried off 

 by inflammatory attacks ; at the best, delicacy of constitution is 

 propagated. 



Before proceeding to the general management of the ewes, it 

 may be well for us to consider how far we can modify our cropping 

 with a view to increase our sheep stock. 



Cropping. 



Many will, of course, suggest the laying down of land to 

 grass. But though mutton is, perhaps, never so economically 

 produced as on rich pastures or even on moderate clay lands 

 laid down to grass in a moist climate, still dry and light soils 

 are not generally suitable for permanent sward ; and in such dis- 

 tricts mutton may be more economically, as well as more exten- 

 sively, produced by alternate cropping with the aid of the 

 plough. Even under the old four-course shift, the clovers and 

 root-crops have been known to carry from 2 to 3 sheep per acre 

 over the course ; and some changes may be suggested that will 

 secure a larger proportion of sheep food. One of the most 

 obvious is to leave our seeds down for two, or perhaps three 

 years. Wherever we can grow clover with tolerable success, a 

 good mixture of seeds carefully selected and properly sown, will 

 yield much valuable sheep food for at any rate two years ; espe- 

 cially if we fold them with sheep eating oilcake or other artificial 

 food rich in potash, and apply a light coat of farmyard manure 

 either the first or the second winter. Not only may we thus 

 secure a large amount of food, but, by reducing the acreage 

 under the plough, we can lessen our teams, a most desirable 

 saving of expense. 



In the north and north-west of England, and in many parts of 

 Scotland, the climate is peculiarly favourable for the growth 

 of artificial grasses, and this practice is largely on the increase. 

 In the southern and eastern counties, however, especially on the 

 thinner soils, there is often difficulty in keeping the clover-root 

 beyond the first year. According to Baron Liebig's view, it has 

 exhausted all the potash within reach, and accordingly dies 

 away. What remains — rye-grass, a little hop trefoil, and Dutch 

 clover — often make but a patchy crop, which is hardly worth 

 retaining for a second year. In such cases, I should advise 



