158 STATES OF THE RIVER PLATE. 



sheep, or two or three such flocks, will have the ' run ' of 

 but one variety of land, high or low, as it may be, it 

 becomes a very nice matter to dispose the grazing and 

 calculate the amount of stock that can, with safety and 

 advantage, be put on a given track of land. 



This disposition of the pasturage, so as to give oppor- 

 tunity for the seeding of the good grasses, and the holding 

 in reserve, for certain seasons, of a portion of the land 

 well clothed with grasses that are less perishable than 

 the trefolia, could be systematically managed, were it 

 practicable for the landowner to ' fence.' Such an under- 

 taking as general fencing and subdividing the sheep-walks 

 or establishments, gigantic and costly as it would be, is in 

 but rare instances practicable ; first, by reason of the 

 want of capital, secondly, the insufficiency of labourers, 

 and thirdly, the small comparative value of the sheep. 

 Doubtless this will ultimately be done, and the means will 

 be made forthcoming through the improvement of the 

 sheep increasing the weight of their fleece and carcass, so 

 as to give them individual value. 



The removal of the sheep from one subdivision to 

 another (supposing the land to be fenced), according to 

 the state of the herbage, to allow of the growth of the 

 graminaceous grasses, when they would otherwise be 

 deficient, and the accumulation of stock on land on which 

 there is an excess of coarse herbage at a season when 

 such herbage was still tender, so as to eat it down and 

 'fine it* are practices of the highest importance, and 

 require intelligent management. Failing the fencing, it 

 is unquestionably to the interest of the landowner (for if 

 through injudicious management, by insufficient or exces- 

 sive grazing of the land, the herbage is allowed to dete- 

 riorate, he, de facto, loses a portion of his capital invested 

 in the land, as that land not being able to carry its due 



