5G0 Abstract Report of Agricultural Discussions. 



to keeping lambs upon grass lands, lie had tried tlie plan two winters 

 — once during nearly the whole winter, and another time up to the 

 month of December— and he found an evident deterioration, and that 

 the animals were not nearly so good as the wether lambs, w'hich had 

 been put upon tm-nips. Perhaps they had not quite such good keep ; 

 but, even with a fair allowance of corn and cake on the grass 

 land, they did not do so well as the wethers. He came to the con- 

 clusion, therefore, that there was nothing like putting them on rape 

 and turnips as soon as he could ; for they not only began well, 'but 

 continued well throughout the summer. As to keeping up breeding 

 stock where there was a short supply of straw, they might grow tares 

 and green crops for the feeding of beasts. 



Mr. Frere explained that he did not undervalue straw manure, but 

 could more easily dispense with it on strong than on light land. 



Mr. ToER, in acknowledging the compliment, said he had studiously 

 avoided making any reference to the absence of rinderpest from large 

 herds like liis own, conceiving that it was not right to sj)eak in terms 

 of exultation on such a subject, because they could not be regarded 

 as totally exempt from attack. The only reasonable ground which 

 he could discover for their escape thus far was, that the shorthorn 

 breeders of England had carefully abstained from dealing in cattle 

 during the existence of the plague. For his own part, indeed, he had 

 not pm'chased a single animal since the month of August last. The 

 breeders had shut up all their bulls, and as their herds were extremely 

 valuable, perhaps they had spent more money in the adoption of 

 measures for their protection. He entirely agreed in the observa- 

 tions of Mr. Dent, with respect to keeping cattle in yards during a 

 portion of the summer. Instead of taking them in as he used to do 

 in the middle of November or even December, nearly all his steers 

 were in his yards in September. They were not now turned out, as 

 was formerly the practice in the winter, for days, and shut up at 

 nights, but remained in the fold-yard until the middle of May. Thus 

 the store-cattle were placed imder a better system of management 

 dm^ing 'four months more at least in the year. Twenty-five years ago 

 he had seen the whole of the North-Eiding of Yorkshire covered with 

 cattle throughout the entire winter ; but of late years that practice 

 had gradually given way, and it was undoubtedly a very considerable 

 improvement. With regard to horses, he was of opinion that all 

 horses ought to be in fold-yards ; not exactly in stables, but in yards, 

 with one-third or two-sevenths of the surface covered in, and without 

 a' thoroughfare through them ; he found that by the use of cut straw 

 and tares he could make famous manm'e with a lot of yoimg horses. 

 Moreover, they were far better there than galloping about the fields. 

 His cart-horses, in yards, sujiplied with cut straw and tares, did 

 remarkably well. A good many years ago he kept his cart-horses 

 almost entirely on sprouted barley, and with sprouted barley and 

 oil-cake he found he could do without cut hay. The great object 

 was to get muscle in a horse, and for that purpose sprouted barley 

 was the best thing in the summer months, when they had not too 

 many tares. In the winter, however, it was rather difficult to get 



