268 SHEEP. [MAY. 



Sheep, hogs, young cattle and horses, are fed to 

 more profit on clover than in pastures ; but fatting 

 beasts, large working oxen, and cows that are 

 milked, are in more want of natural grass. It is 

 true, butter and cheese are in many places made 

 from clover ; but then we do not know whether 

 the prices are not lower. If clover is good, it will 

 carry five, six, seven, or eight sheep an acre, and 

 on some lands even more. Good grass will carry a 

 cow to an acre ; but it must be above the common 

 run. However, in proportioning the stock to the 

 grass, take care to be rather under than over ; be- 

 cause it is an easy matter to mow a few acres for 

 hay, in case you have too much ; but cattle cannot 

 be sold half fat, but to loss. 



In an inclosed farm there is one point which 

 should be particularly attended to, and that is the 

 division of the flock into different parcels for all 

 the fields intended to be fed. Bakewell, who was 

 a great enemy to folding, and, in this respect, for 

 many years little attended to, because it was ima- 

 gined that his opinion was founded on his own 

 breed being ill adapted to the practice, gave as one 

 material reason for his opinion, that it forced a 

 farmer to keep vastly too many sheep in one parcel. 

 He contended, that the wnste of food, from this 

 circumstance, was great, and that the sheep would 

 never be kept as healthy and thriving in large as 

 in small parcels. For many years I tried this 

 tcni of division with all the attention I was master 

 of, and am well persuaded that he was right in his 



opinion ; 





