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On Sheep Folding. From a Publication on Manures^ 

 draxvn up for the Board of Agriculture, England, by 

 Robert Somerville of Haddington, London, 1795. 



The practice of folding sheep as a manure, or rather 

 as a top dressing, is common in many parts of Eng- 

 land, and is productive of considerable advantage. 

 They are folded both upon arable and pasture lands ; 

 upon the arable lands it is sometimes done before the 

 last furrow, at other times after the grain is sown. This 

 last is found from experience to be the best method of 

 folding, as the urine and dung of the animal remain 

 upon the surface, and soak down gradually ; whereas, 

 when the field is folded before the last ploughing, a 

 considerable part of the manure is turned down and 

 lost. The spring and summer seems to be the time 

 when this practice is most beneficial ; at that time the 

 food of the animal is rich and juicy, but during the 

 winter, unless the sheep are fed upon turnips or hay, 

 their dung is of small value. It is obvious that fold- 

 ing, after the grain is sown, can never be practiced but 

 upon dry soils, and during dry weather. 



This way of manuring seems peculiarly adapted to 

 farms, where there is a considerable extent of hill or 

 common pasture, or grass lands, that never come un- 

 der the plough. In these cases, by bringing the sheep 

 in the evening to the fold, a considerable quantity of 

 manure will be saved, that would otherwise be lost. If 

 the pasture upon which the sheep feed through the day 

 is good, they may be folded, without any detriment to 

 the animal, (if not intended to be fattened,) for a great 



