334 Sheep. 



Throughout the southern chalk district ol" England, which is 

 essentially a breeding district, the summer run for ewes is either 

 found on the native Downs or is provided artificially by sainfoin 

 layers, by tares and clover, and in some instances by water- 

 meadows. On the lightest soil the produce of artificial grasses 

 is not great in hot summers, but the run even of inferior pasturage, 

 if water is provided, enables you to keep an ewe flock through the 

 summer. By laying up less of the "seeds" to a hay-crop, and 

 on suitable soils, by laying down grasses for two or three years' 

 layer, a considerable addition might be made to the number of 

 breeding flocks. 



Where the rain-fall exceeds an average, an increase in the 

 extent of pasture-land is desirable ; but on other soils and 

 climates arable farming is much more productive, and probably 

 yields a larger balance of profit. 



No greater benefit could be conferred on the light-land farmer 

 than the introduction of some forage-plant, which would be to the 

 sands what sainfoin is to the chalk. We have seen lucerne 

 hanging on the side of a steep sand-hill in Surrey, green and 

 luxuriant when other vegetation was scorched into hay, its deep 

 roots finding their way into a subsoil moist from the drainage of 

 higher land. This plant affects a warm free soil, and is only 

 productive under liberal feeding.* 



Other crops which help to bridge over the awkward summer 

 months are, on heavv land, early turnips and rape, sown at intervals 

 in May ; and the cabbage, which by successional planting, will 

 produce food at all periods of the year. It is especially adapted 

 to dry climates, l)ecause though a great water-drinker, it draws a 

 large supply from the subsoil. The crop may be obtained at 

 almost anv period of the year that it may be required. On farms 

 •where food is scarce in July, August, and September, I recom- 

 mend the following system : — Sow the first week of August, 

 re-set the plants in October, plant out in March. 



Early varieties, as the early York, may be sown in March in 

 seed-beds, or even drilled in the field, and will be fit for use 

 in autumn and winter. If cabbages are removed, instead of being 

 eaten on the land, the stalks will produce sprouts in spring, useful 

 for ewes and lambs. The large Drumhead, however, does not 

 sprout well. 



At the present date (July 17th) my fatting ewes are doing very 

 well on winter beans, cut for them by a chaff"-cutter in the field ; 

 and as the land needs the fold, this summary way of disposing of 

 the crop may possibly pay as well as harvesting it. 



The following example of fast-cropping on warm land in an 



* See Mr. Clayden's Letter on Lucerne — the last paper. — P. H. F. 



