OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 119 



Wiltfhire, one of the molt confiderable dairy counties 

 in England, the meadows are hained up and cut early, 

 whether the crop is heavy or light; the confequencc 

 of which practice is, that the hay is of fo fuperior a 

 quality, as to keep the fineft cow to her milk, or the 

 largeft ox to his flefh ; and they reckon, where the 

 crop of hay is fmall from cutting it early, that they 

 obtain a quantity of after-grafs at leaft equal to the 

 deficiency in point of hay ; befides the advantage of 

 long days and good weather in making it. 



. 7 



Improvements. 



The principal improvements, which are required, 

 ieem to be the following : i ft. Draining of wet mea- 

 dow grounds, rather by open than covered drains ; the 

 latter,, : jf not more liable to be out of order than the 

 former, are more difficult to repair j befides, where 

 the foil is tenacious, covered drains will not have the 

 effect, as the water cannot penetrate to them. adly. 

 By deftroying the coarfe herbage, which may be done 

 by digging it up and burning it, or breaking up the 

 furface by a crop of potatoes, and afterwards laying it 

 down with a judicious feleclion of grafs feeds, which 

 with care may be obtained, and forming the furface b 

 as to prevent water from lodging on it. 3dly. By 

 watering, if poffible. 4thly. By manuring. 5thly. By 

 a proper degree of attention to the mode of flocking, 



by- 



