Cultivation of Graft Land. Stocking Pafturcs Scafons for. 471 



injury that may be fuftained in this way muft evidently be very fmall, when com 

 pared with that which takes pi ace from repeated mowing without the application 

 of fuitable drefTings to the lands. 



The immediate improvement of the fertility of pafture grounds may be effected in 

 different ways, as either by the direct application of manure in its natural Mate, fuch 

 as that of rotten dungjime, marl, or in that of earthy comport, occasionally over their 

 furfaces in a thin evenjjpanner ; or indirectly by the folding or confining of fheep 

 upon the land during the time they con-fume other forts of green food, fuch as tur 

 nips, &c. The latter mode is unquestionably the moft advantageous and conve 

 nient, as it is in but very few fituations that the former can be praclifed without 

 injury to the arable o-r hay lands. By proper attention in this way the more poor 

 pafture grounds might foon, and at little expenfe, be brought into a- good ftate of 

 pafturage j which could feldom or ever be the cafe without it* 



The rnoft proper period for turning the flock into the paftures in the fpring 

 feafon has been a matter of difpute among thofe employed in the management of 

 grafs lands ; feme contending that it fhould be done; early, before the natural grafs 

 has rifen to too great a bite, while others maintain the contrary opinion. There 

 are probably inconveniences attending each of thefe extremes, as in the firft the 

 flock, efpeciall-y when of the fattening kind, may fuftain injury from the want of 

 afufficient bite to permit the animals to fill themfelves in an expeditious manner; 

 and in the latter there may not only be much wade by theftock not being capable 

 of keeping it under, but great lofs and inconvenience from its running up in tufts 

 to feed, and by that means rendering the paftures patchy and unevenly fed down,, 

 by which the extent of real pafturage is leffencd. It has been alfo obferved, that 

 by turning theftock upon the paftures when there is a full bite the better forts of 

 grafies are only confumed, the more coarfe herbage being rejected and let run up- 

 to feed, by which the lands are greatly injured at the time as well as in future; 

 while, on the contrary, if the flock be allowed to enter during the time fuch coarfe 

 plants are in their more tender early growth, and before the pafture is covered with 

 better herbage, the whole of the other plants will be fed down in a regular manner 

 with the grafs.* It is likewife remarked by the fame writer, that the want of a. 

 full bite on the firft turning out of ftore ftock is of advantage to the animals, as 

 they become more gradually accuftomed to the change from dry food to fucculent 



* Marfliall s Rural Economy of Yorkfliire. 



