Live Sjwle,-~$heep~~&ijftrent Modes of Keeping in Winter and Spring. 6t7 



With refpecl to ray grafs, the clover mixed with it is fddorn above three inches 

 high at this feafon ; and a great breadth of ground to a given ftock muft be aflign- 

 ed to keep the fheep through April. The number of acres of that young growth 

 neceflary to keep a hundred fheep and lambs is furprifing; fo that thife farmers, 

 although they manage to fpring- f eed more fhcep than the word of their brethren,. 

 yet effecT: it at a great expence, and at laft not in any degree c mparable to what 

 might be done. A turnip fhould never be feen on the ground after March. F&amp;lt;pr in 

 l he month of April the farmer fhould have a field of cabbages ready, which, yield 

 ing a great produce on a fmall breadth of ground, reduces the evil of a late fpring 

 f owing ; and, if he manages as he ought, totally excludes it. The turnip-cabbage, 

 and ruta baga will laft as long as wanted j and, though it runs to feed, yet the 

 bulb will not be fticky. The green boorcole may be fed off feveral times. It is 

 impenetrable to froft, and will make (hoots in. the winter.&quot; 



&quot; Another crop for feeding fheep in the fpring, which is of particular merit, is; 

 burnet. An acre of it managed properly, will at this feafon yield much more foodi 

 than an acre of clover and ray grafs. It mould be four or five inches high in No 

 vember, and left fo through the winter. Burnet has the fingular quality of main 

 taining its green leaves through the winter; fo that, under deep fnows, you find 

 fome luxuriance of vegetation. From November to February the crop will gain 

 two or three inches in growth in the young leaves, and then be ready for fheep. It 

 \vill be better in March ; and, if kept, ready in April, not only for fheep, but 

 horfes, cows, or any other flock.* * 



By thefe means, the fheep and lambs may be continued in good and healthy con 

 dition, which is of great confequence to the flock, till the time of turning upon the 

 paftures, when they fhould be feparated, where the farms are inclofed into fuitable 

 divifions, in proportion to the quantity that each pafture which they are to occupy 

 can fupport, care being taken not to over-flock the fields, though hard flocking in 

 fome cafes may be ufeful.-j- By fome managers they are put upon the 

 befl paftures of the farm, while others let them have thofe of the inferior kinds. 

 Each method may have its advantage under different circumftances ; but the main 

 objecl:, that of having the ftock preferved in good condition, is never to be loft 

 fight of. In keeping fheep on inclofed paftures, particularly where the lands are 

 much occupied with wood, conftant care is neceflary in order to guard againft the 

 mifchief of the fly, as its effecls are often irremediable in the courfe, of a very fhort 

 sime in fuch fituations, if not attended to, in hot feafons. 



* Young s Farmer s Calendar. t See Stocking of Paftures, 



