Live Stwk-4SJiep Folding improper in certain 



Where the fyflem of folding is praclifed, the fneep moft adapted to the bu fine is- 

 are thofe of the more light and active (liort- wool led breeds, as- the Norfolk, 

 Wiltshire, South-Down, and- fome other kinds. This management has been: 

 hitherto confidered: as almoft abfblutely indifpenfible in- many: fituations to the. 

 iticccfs of the farmer. It is, however, dated by Mr. Young, in his- Calendar, that 

 a very great change has taken- place on inclofed farms in the practice of the 

 belt farmers, efpecially in Norfolk. They are now. fully convinced, that it is 

 an unprofitable practice, except where the opennefs of: downs and common fields - 

 renders it neceifary for the purpofe of confinement. The number of (heep that 

 may be kept on a farm without folding is much greater than can be fupportcd with 

 it-. This is a very eilential point. There is-a deduction from the farmer s profit, . 

 in the injury done by folding to both ewe and Iamb, which has been eftimatcd by. 

 experienced judges at from as. 6d. to 4$. per ewe ; fothat afarmerfliouldconfider 

 well, before he determines to follow a- practice which, from a multitude. of obfer- 

 vations, is pronounced unprofitable. Mr.Bakewell ufed to call it robbing Peter to 

 pay Paul. The arguments now ufed in its defence are not fatisfadiory: it is con* 

 tended, that if {heep be not folded they will draw under hedges, &c; for fhelter in 

 bad weather; if fo they ought to be allowed to do it, for more would be loft in 

 fuch cafes by forcing thefheep from fhelter than the. value of their fold. Where 

 this practice takes place, good (hepherds will, in cafe of rain, .get up inrthe. night 

 and let their flocks out of fold, knowing the confequence^of confinement on an 1 ,-* 

 ble land in wet weather. The inftindtof thefe animals will 1 conduct them much -, 

 better than our reafon, not only where to -fly .forihelter, but alfo for choofing their 

 own time to go to reft, and to feed in the morning. Thefe they .vary according ta 

 feafons and weather ; but folding prevents it, and forces them to a regularity never 

 called for by the weather.&quot; 



It is remarked, that &quot; when he began firfl to entertain doubts of the propriety- 

 *xf folding (heep on any farms in which they can be kept to certain fields in the 

 night, without that practice, he defired earneftly to try fome experiments -that 

 might throw more light on the queftion than it was pofiible for reafon to do; 

 but to effedl this comparatively was very difficult^ as the trial he wifhed for was; 

 fuch as mould carry fome, pofitive conviction with it. He has not been able to. 

 effect it fully ; but the trials he has made may not be found deflitute of power to- 

 throw fome light on this intereftingqueftion. He is perfectly perfuaded, that it 

 would have been impoflible for him to have kept on the fame land nearly fuch a 



