566 Cultivation of Grafs- Land* Soiling Crops and Modes of foddering in* 



As much depends on the convenience of the yards and (hods, both in rcfpedl to 

 the economy of labour in the feeding the flock and the making of manure, care 

 iliould be taken to have them upon fuch plants as may afford the greatefl advan 

 tage in thefe ways. It has been a practice fuggefted by fome, in order to fave 

 the labour and expenfe of cleaning and feeding, to have the cattle in this manage 

 ment left loofe in the yards fo as to confume the food from racks or cribs, the bottoms 

 of the yards being prepared by marl or other fimilar materials, and a coat of litter ap 

 plied fo as that the urine may be retained, and contribute to theconverfion of them into 

 manure : but a better method is probably that of having them tied up in flails in fheds 

 forthepurpofe;for though fomething may be gained in the former mode in the labour 

 of cleaning, the latter has confiderable fuperiority in the goodnefs of the manure, 

 and in the animals being kept more quiet and lefs expofed to diflurbance from 

 flies.* In the firfl method the flock mould always be forced, and thofe of the fame 

 age or fize be fed together. A cultivator of much experience foils his horfes in 

 cheap thatched fheds in which they have room to walk and roll ; and his bullocks 

 and cows in flails feven feet wide, each flail holding two head of cattle, which arc 

 faflened by the necks to the fides of the flail, by which they are prevented from 

 inconveniencing each other.t 



That the farmer may enter upon this management with the greateft advantage, it 

 will be requifite for him to attend to the culture of fuch various crops as can be 

 befl applied in this way on a fcale amply fufficient for the purpofe. In the view 

 of early application, a full proportion of lucern mould be raifed on the moll deep 

 and fertile foils ; and on the better forts of the lands that may be in the condition 

 of fallow, clover and tare crops maybe grown. Thefe mufl be fown fo as to come 

 into ufe at different times j the firfl crop of winter tares fucceeding to the early 

 cut lucern ; the later put in winter tares following, after which the clover will 

 moil probably be ready, to which the third crop of tares and the fecond cut of 

 lucern may fucceed. At a flill later period the fpring tare may be employed; and 

 in fuccefiion to this the third cutting of lucern will in general be ready. There 

 are many other plants that may perhaps be made ufe of in this way. Jt will be 

 feen from what we have obferved on chicory, that it may be had recourfe to with 

 advantage in this management : as in foils that are tolerably fertile it admits of re 

 peated cutting. With thefe different crops, there will probably be feidom any 



* Annals of Agriculture, vol. XIV. t Clofe in Communication to the Board, &c. vol. III.. 



