25O FIRST YEAR'S MANAGEMENT op LAYS, [MAI', 



thing is worse for new layers than the grass running 

 to seed. 



Mr. Wright, of Ranby, pastures them with beasts 

 the first year, as sheep do harm. 



Dr. Yv r iikinson compared sheep-feeding with 

 mowing experimentally, and the superiority of the 

 former was very great. 



The Marquis of Rockingham seeded them the 

 iirst year. 



Colonel St. Leger fed the two first years with 

 great success*. 



I have practised all these methods ; the last mere- 

 ly for gaining the seed for other lands ; and I have 

 not the Jeast doubt upon the question : if the grass 

 be kept unfed in autumn, and it be not turned into 

 too early in the spring, sheep do no harm, but much 

 good : the number should riot be so great, nor 

 kept so long, as to allow the plants to be nibbled 

 too close ; but sheep-feeding is certainly the best 

 for the first year. If bents rise, as they will do, 

 let them be swept with a scythe before any of them 

 seed, unless the plants be evidently too thin on the 

 ground ; in that case the seed falling may do more 



* Though I have little doubt thnt feeding is the right ma- 



it is not to be concluded that, with mowing, the 



grass will not succeed : Lord Rock'mghnin's new lays, viewed in 



the autumn of the first year, were by description among the finest 



that have been seen ; they were ninnun\l however the autumn 



hich is admirnblc management, provided the soil 



is sound, and the season 



good 



