OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 143 



place, experience clearly (hews, that many plants are 

 greedily eaten by cattle in the houfe, which would not 

 be touched by them whilft growing ; thus fewer plants 

 will be rejected by them. Betides, many of the beft 

 kinds of grades, which when young are relifhed by 

 beafls, when got into ear are rejected by them ; but, if 

 thefe are cut down in proper time, not one of them will 

 be rejected ; and add to this, when cattle go at large, 

 much of the grafs is trod down, buried in the earth, 

 or bruifed with their feet. In the fecond place, if the 

 condition of the animal, and its confequent advantage, 

 cfpecially in milch cows, is confidered, in this inftance 

 it will be found infinitely fuperior. In the month of 

 July, the beft grazing grounds begin to lofe much of 

 their fucculence ; the effect of this, though not (b 

 eafily obferved in cattle for beef, is very plainly per- 

 ceived in cows falling from their milk j but, when they 

 are fed regularly with clover, or mowed grafs of good 

 quality, they will neither lofe their milk, nor their fiefh, 

 at that period ; and when the time of putting them to 

 after-grafs arrives, ten days or a fortnight will not be 

 confumed in reftorlng them to their milk, from the pre- 

 vious good keeping they have got. If the comfort of 

 the cattle is confidered, they are much happier by being 

 provided with a flicker from the great heats, and the 

 perfecutions of infects, in the fummer months, and fup- 

 plied in that fituation with plenty of frefti and pala- 

 table food. In the third place, their manure is col- 

 lected 



