382 HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



All the superior perennial grasses thrive under irrigation, when 

 the meadow is properly formed. The following species of grass I 

 have invariably found to constitute the produce of the best water- 

 principle to make the meadows as dry as possible between every watering, and 

 to stop the water the moment any scum appears on the surface, for that indicates 

 the land has had water enough ; in fact, it is caused by the fermentation excited 

 by the decay of the grass. As soon as the land has been sufficiently dry after the 

 last watering in February or March, the early grass, of which there is always an 

 abundance, is consumed by ewes and lambs, if a breeding flock of sheep is kept. 

 In order to prevent the sheep from trampling too much of the grass at first, some 

 Farmers use hurdles, by which they portion out the consumption of a day. Open 

 spaces are left in the hurdles, to give the lambs free range of the meadow at large. 

 Mr. Davis says, that one acre of good grass will be sufficient for five hundred 

 couples for a day. It is usual to leave off depasturing the meadows about the 

 beginning of May ; when the water is again admitted, to prepare the land for a crop 

 of hay. Two days' flooding at this season is all that the land can receive without 

 injury ; it is then laid dry, and the process may be said to be finished for that 

 season. Six weeks is usually sufficient to produce the crop of hay, — so rapid is 

 vegetation in these meadows. 



The following is a statement of the produce of a water-meadow of nine acres, 

 belonging to His Grace the Duke of Bedford : — 



1803. Stocked with twelve score sheep, and it kept them three weeks, 

 April 16. Shut up for hay. 



June 23. Cut the crop for hay, supposed to be about two tons per acre. 

 Aug. 20. Cut the second crop for hay, supposed to be about one ton and a 



half per acre. 

 Sept. 16. Stocked it with four score of fat sheep : three weeks after that 



it was depastured with lean bullocks, as long and as often as 



they could find food. 



1804. Feb. 27. Stocked with eight score and four lamb hogs; they have now 



(April 28, the time this account was drawn up,) been nine 

 weeks in it. It had more and better water this last winter 

 than that before ; but from the want of grass upon the farm, 

 it was in this instance eaten longer than it otherwise would 

 have been. 



Valuation. 



1803. March 29. Two hundred and forty sheep three weeks, at six- 

 pence per head _ - _ - 

 Spring food per acre, at 21. 

 June 23. Eighteen tons of hay, at 4/. - 

 Aug. 20. Thirteen and a half ditto, at 4/. 

 Sept. 16. Eighty fat sheep, three weeks, at four pence 

 Lean bullocks. 



