Cultivation of Grafs Land. After-grafs or Ronen. 46 1 



nure can be procured, as near large towns ; and where the chief dependence is upon 

 the fale of hay, or where lamb fuckling prevails, it may frequently be a beneficial 

 practice to take a fecond crop of hay, as the firft may by that means be more fully 

 fpared for fale, the after-crop fupplying the cows or other cattle that may be kept 

 on the farm. But in cafes where manure cannot be eafily obtained, and there is 

 no local practice carried on, that particularly requires fuch fort of hay, it is better 

 to let it be fed off by ftock than run therifk of exhaufting and injuring the ground 

 by the taking off repeated crops. There is alfo another circumftance to be confi- 

 dered in this bufinefs, which is that of the (late of the land in refpect to drynefs ; 

 as where it is low, wet, and very retentive of moifture, it may be often more hurt 

 by the poaching of the cattle in feeding off the herbage than by taking a fecond 

 crop of hay. 



Independently of thefe confiderations, it may, however, in general, be a more 

 fafe and ufeful practice to eat off the after-grafs by ftock, and only take one crop 

 of hay, as by fuch means a more abundant annual produce may be afforded, and 

 the land fuftain lefs injury.* 



Where a crop of rouen is made into hay, the moft profitable application of it is 

 probably in the foddering of fuch cows as are in milk, as it is well fuited, by its 

 graffy quality, and its not heating fo much when well made as other forts of hay in 

 the (lack, to afford a large flow of milk. It is this reafon that induces the cow- 

 farmers to cut their grafs fo many times in the fummer. Another beneficial ap 

 plication of thishay is in the feeding of fuch ewes as are employed in the fuckling 

 of houfe-lambs during the winter feafon ; the intention in this cafe is the fame as 

 in that of the preceding inftance. There is another advantageous ufe to which 

 this fort of produce may be applied, which is that of fupporting young calves and 

 all forts of young cattle that are kept as ftore ftock. 



Where fheep require the fupport of hay in the winter feafon, it is aifo well 

 adapted to that ufc. 



Where after-grafs is fed off by ftock, there is much difference of opinion in re 

 gard to the moft proper periods of turning in the animals. Some have contended 

 that it is the bcft practice to let them into the field before the young grafs has at 

 tained any very great head ; while others maintain the oppofite doctrine, and think 

 it the bed method to allow the grafs to get up to a full bite before the ftock is 



* Correfted Agricultural Report of MSddlefcx. 



