OF CROPS USUALLY CULTIVATED. 283 



days, always giving fresh straw the whole season. The 

 sheep lay very dry, the straw serving as a drain to receive 

 moisture. As the palm or chaff upon the straw was eaten 

 by the sheep, they fatted apace, and were sold in March at 

 L. 42 per score. The quantity of manure produced was 

 very great, (no doubt partly depending on the quantity of 

 straw used), in one year not less than 800 tons of the best 

 manure he ever saw on his farm. The particulars of this 

 important experiment, and other interesting particulars 

 therewith connected, will be given in the Appendix, No. XII. 



It has been objected to this plan, that there can be no 

 difficulty in converting straw into dung, in the common 

 way, by giving turnip to cattle in straw yards ; but there 

 may be reasons for preferring sheep. Another objection is, 

 that this mode of consuming turnips, is inconsistent with 

 one great object of the turnip husbandry, that of consoli- 

 dating the soil, and at the same time, destroying annual 

 weeds, by the treading of sheep; but where, from the 

 lightness of the soil, treading is absolutely necessary, only 

 one-half of the turnips may be drawn. 



Another correspondent informs me, that for some years, 

 he has adopted a similar practice of feeding sheep, by keep- 

 ing them confined in a standing fold during the winter 

 months, and giving them turnips thrice a-day upon the 

 straw. It requires, however, a considerable quantity of 

 straw, as they must always get some every second or third 

 day, and in wet weather every day : but it is certainly an 

 excellent method of making manure, where there is plenty 

 of straw. 



Several farmers have of late years grown ruta baga, or 

 Swedish turnips, for the use of the horses and other stock, 

 during that critical period when the common turnips fail, 

 and grass has not yet become abundant, and for these pur- 

 poses this esculent is invaluable. But Mr Church of HitchiH 



