JAN.] FOLDING SHEEP. 7 



Tliis may be very true, upon the major part of the 

 farms, but such have often many inclosures, in 

 which this management might be applied without 

 difficulty. 



But if we suppose folding to be the system pur- 

 sued, I may remark, that the farmers in those parts 

 of the kingdom which understand it best, do not ex- 

 tend it so far as they might ; they give over folding 

 in November or December, whereas it may certainly 

 be carried on through the whole winter with profit; 

 even supposing that the practice is necessary : on 

 those farms which have a per'feclly dry gravelly pas- 

 ture or two, it is advisable to fold all winter on 

 such dry grass land. It must not be attempted 

 on moist arable land, nor on moist grass land ; 

 but on dry pastures. The safety to the sheep is 

 greater, and the benefit to the grass an object. 

 There is another method of gaining all the benefit 

 of folding, quite through the winter, and on all 

 soils ; this is, to confine them at night in a sheep- 

 yard, well and regularly littered with straw, stubble, 

 or fern ; by which means you keep your flock 

 warm and healthy in bad seasons ; and at the same 

 time raise a surprizing quantity of dung : so great 

 a quantity, if you have plenty of litter, that the 

 profit will be better than folding on the land, A 

 great improvement in this method, would be giving 

 the sheep all their food (except their pasture) in 

 such yard ; viz. hay and turnips ; for" which pur- 

 pose they may be brought up not only at night, but 

 also at noon, to be baited ; but if their pasture be 



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