470 Cultivation of Graft Laud.~-ImprGvitig Paflures Means of, 



lands, where the produce of grafs is confiderable, improvement may, and undoubt 

 edly does, take place by feeding them, efpecially by fheep, as the difcharges of the 

 animals are not only more abundant, but a proportion of old grafs is left to decay 

 during the winter fcafon, and in that way make an annual addition to their fertility., 

 It appears probable to us, however it may differ from opinions that have been held 

 on this fubject by fome cultivators, from much clofe attention to the management 

 of grafs lands of the lefs rich kinds in the ftate of pafture, that in fuch cafes, unlefs 

 attention be paid to improve their condition by fome other means than merely that 

 of the manure difperfed over the land by the animals in fimply confuming the her 

 bage, that they muft in time become gradually deteriorated, and the quantity of paf- 

 turage be lefTened fo as to fupport fmaller proportions of flock than was formerly 

 the cafe. This fuppofition feems indeed, in fome degree, fupported by the con 

 dition of downs, and other uninclofed lands that have been in a ftate of pafturage 

 fora great length of time ; as in thefe cafes, if feeding had rendered them more 

 fertile, they muft long fince have been enabled to carry a vaftly increafed propor 

 tion of flock ; which is certainly not the cafe.* 



That feeding down pafture lands,of thefe as well as other kinds, in a judicious 

 manner has the effect of rendering the herbage more fine, and better for the fup 

 port of ftock in general, there cannot be the fmalleft doubt ; but it does not cer 

 tainly follow that the fertility of the land, in fuch cafes as have beenjuft mentioned, 

 is thereby really improved, as has been fuppofed by fome employed in the bufinefs 

 of grazing in particular lituations and circumftances. Where the paftures, as 

 Hias been juft obferved, are in fuch heart as to afford a large quantity of 

 herbage for being converted into manure, and fufficient to permit a portion 

 annually to revert to the ftate of vegetable mould by its undergoing the 

 procefs of putrefaction, a confiderable progreffive improvement maft, without 

 doubt, be the cafe under the pafturing fyftem, efpecially where fneep conftitute 

 the principal ftock. And in moft cafes the fining of the herbage by this practice 

 muft be advantageous. It feems, therefore, not improbable but that the better 

 ing of the condition of the herbage by feeding the lands with fheep may have oc- 

 cafionally led to the fuppofition that. the fertility of the grounds was thereby, in all 

 cafes, really improved. That an increafe of fertility is produced, in moft inf lan 

 ces, by the pafturing of lands with fheep, is not difputed ; it is only in particular 

 circumftances that the contrary is contended to take place. And in all cafes the 



* AuderCou s Eflays, vol. III. 



