68 THE FARMER^ MANUAL* 



tiply the value of your pasture grounds by frequei/. 

 changings, and your stock will have a regular suc- 

 cession of fresh feed, untrodden, and otherwise unin- 

 jured ; the advantages of this will soon be perceived 

 in your stock generally ; but will be most evident in 

 your dairy. Your cows are the prime object of 

 your pasture grounds ; therefore never suffer your 

 horses or sheep to enter your dairy pastures ; they 

 not only crop close, and thus protract the time for 

 the regular successive croppings ; and also, expose 

 your pastures to the scorching rays of the sun, espe- 

 cially in time of drought ;*but they also select the 

 finest and choicest feed, which will afford the great- 

 est nutrition to your cows, and thus destroy your best 

 interest. Your division fences in your pastures, de- 

 signed for your cows, or cattle, and horses, may be 

 made light, with two or three rails only, if of a good 

 height; no adjoining crops of tillage will induce your 

 stock to breax out of their enclosure ; but your fences 

 dividing off your pastures from your tillage enclo- 

 sures, cannot be too secure ; you may then. till with 

 safety, and rest with security, without damage, or 

 anxiety. Where water is scarce and difficult to be 

 obtained for your pastures, (when multiplied as 

 above,) you may select some small stream, spring, 

 or pond, or even a reservoir of water, such as an ar- 

 tificial pond, or large trough, supplied from some 

 neighbouring spring, and enclose your pastures so as 

 to have four or more enclosures centre in, or upon 

 the brook, pond, or reservoir, and thus secure water 

 for the whole. I have seen careful farmers, water 50 

 or 60 acres, or more, (from one pond or spring,) when 

 divided into separate enclosures in this manner. A 

 little experience will soon show the value of this 

 mode of improving pasture grounds, and lead to a 

 practical knowledge highly interesting, and valuable 

 to our country. 



Plaster, or live ashes, sown upon your pasture 

 grounds, will not only repay a handsome profit, by 



