JAN, ; FOLDING SHEEP. ;t 



pn turnips ; but it must be a good breed,, for such 

 a practice to repay. 



FOLDING SHEEP. 



In respect of folding, a very great change has 

 taken place on inclosed farms in the practice of 

 the best farmers, especially in Norfolk. They are 

 now fully convinced, that it is an unprofitable prac- 

 tice, except where the openness of downs and com- 

 mon fields renders it necessary for the purpose of 

 confinement. The number of sheep that may be 

 kept on a farm without folding, is much greater 

 than can be supported with it. This is a very 

 essential point. There is a deduction from the 

 farmer's profit, in the injury done by folding to 

 both ewe and lamb, which has been estimated by 

 experienced judges, at from 2s. 6d. to 4s. per ewe ; 

 so that a farmer should consider well, before he 

 determines to follow a practice, which, from a mul- 

 titude of observations, is pronounced unprofitable. 

 Mr. Bakewell used to call it robbing Peter to pay 

 Paul. The arguments now used in its defence are 

 not satisfactory: it is contended, that if sheep be 

 not folded, they will draw under hedges, &c. for 

 shelter in bad weather ; if so, they ought to be 

 allowed to do it, for more would be lost in such 

 cases by forcing the sheep from shelter, than the 

 value of their fold. Where this practice takes 

 place, good shepherds will, in case of rain, get up 

 in the night and let their flocks out of fold, know- 

 ing the consequence of confinement on arable land 

 in wet weather. The instinct of these animals will 



B 2 conduct 



