144 AX AMERICAN FARMER IN J& tiLASD. 



by feeding off the crops of herbage at the end of every rota 

 tion by sheep ; of which operation, common in all parts of 

 Great Britain, I shall presently speak. 



In land greatly infested with weeds, or grubs or wire- worm, 

 in black, peaty soils, and in many stiff-clay soils, particularly 

 where they are to be prepared for gardens or orchards, I have 

 no doubt paring and burning often might be profitably per 

 formed in the United States. In thin, sandy soils it is likely 

 to be injurious. If the soil has not a pretty thick old sward, 

 it will be best to sow some grain crop upon it the year be 

 fore burning, that the roots and stubble may afford fuel. Old 

 pasture will be most readily burnt. In England, clay is some 

 times charred in pits, and, after being mashed fine, applied 

 broadcast or drilled with seeds, as a manure. It is sometimes 

 found, surprisingly effective, probably owing to its absorbent 

 quality ; but it is an expensive operation, and has not gene 

 rally recommended itself. 



Sheep-folding is the practice of enriching a portion of 

 ground by confining sheep upon it. Thus, in Wiltshire, the 

 flocks are pastured during the day upon the beak-land and 

 kept at night upon the comparatively small portion of ground 

 which it is desired to manure, and which thus receives the bene 

 fit of the fertilizing droppings which have been obtained from 

 the pastured ground ; or a portion of a field of sainfoin, or clo 

 ver, or turnips, is enclosed by a moveable fence, (either iron or 

 wooden hurdles or strong hempen nets fastened to stakes,) 

 and the sheep confined to it until they have eaten the crop 

 clean, (they will eat the turnip in the ground,) and left upon 

 it a large amount of excrement ; the fence is then moved on 

 to a fresh spot, where the process is repeated, and so on day 

 after day until the required space has been travelled over. 



Sometimes naked ground or stubble-land is thus served ; 

 turnips or sainfoin being brought from where they grow and 



