$56 Cultivation of Grafs-Land. Proportions of Stock for. 



on the rich and middling forts of land, they allow from one acre to an acre and 

 a half to an ox, and fbmeadd one fheep to each ox. 



The great principle is never to flock in fuch a way as to reftricl the animals in 

 the leaft degree ; as it is by filling themfelves quickly, and lying down much, that 

 the greateft progrefs in fattening is made, whether in cattle, fheep, or any other 

 fort of animals -when at grafs. On the weaker grafs lands a much fmaller pro 

 portion of ftoc k than on thofe of the rich and fertile kind can only beadmittedv 

 Often not more than an ox and a fheep or two, to two acres or two acres and a half. 

 There is alfo another circfrmftance that is neceflary to be attended to in bringing the 

 flock properly forward in the pafturcs, which is that of changing them more fre 

 quently than has generally been the cafe with graziers. On this principle, as well as 

 thofe oftheiraffording greater degrees of warmth and (belter, and thereby promoting 

 the growth of the herbage more abundantly, fmall inclofures may be more advan 

 tageous in the grazing of live flock than large ones ; but to have them varying 

 thefize from ten or fifteen to twenty- five acres or more, according to the na 

 ture of the pastures, may be the perfection of the fyftem : the matter is not, how 

 ever, eafily decided by experiment, as no two pieces of grafs land can fcarcely be 

 ihet with that are precifely equal in all their different circumftances. 



In the difpofai of the ftock after it has been made fit for the butcher, confidera- 

 ble care is neceffary to perform it in the moft advantageous manner. It has been 

 obferved, that though this is a lefs difficult part of the bufinefs of the grazier than 

 that of buying in, it demands much judgment and experience to manage it in the 

 bell way** Some utility in directing this matter may be derived from a careful 

 attention to the manner of fattening the animals during the time they are at 

 full grafs, and from the confideration of the length of time they have been ; but 

 the moft correct judgment may probably be formed by the occafional ufeof the 

 weighing-machine, by making accurate comparifons of the living with the dead, 

 or profitable weights of different forts of animals that are fold on the farm, as by 

 this means, after a few trials, a facility in correctly deciding on the dead weights 

 of fuch parts of the ftock as the living weights have been fully afcertained in may 

 be attained. It is in this way that the butcher has a fuperiority over the grazier. 

 All the fmaller forts of animals, fuch as calves, fheep, and hogs, may have their 

 living weights afcertained with great eafe and convenience by the fimple mean of 



* Marshall s Midland Counties, rol. L 



