98 



IMPBOrBMENT OF THE BREEDS. 



oa the first year's clover early in summer, when the 

 prices of meat are usually the highest ; so that this 

 variety is always fit for market at eighteen months, 

 while the Highland breeds, though prepared by means 

 of turnips, a year at least, sooner than in former times, 

 do not usually go to the shambles till from three to 

 four years old. 



(84.) Frequent change of Pasture necessary. — 

 Sheep ought never to be permitted to remain too long 

 on one pasture : — Great benefit will be derived from 

 their removal from time to time to different parts even 

 of the same farm, by which arrangement a change of 

 herbage will be ensured. No animal can be kept for 

 any leng*h of time in health, if restricted to one un- 

 varying routine of diet. This has been satisfactorily 

 proved by the experiments of Majendie, who found that 

 health could not be sustained on one or even two 

 kinds of food beyond the thirtieth day. Now, though 

 such immediate injury cannot result to a flock from 

 retention on a particular pasture, owing to the variety 

 of sustenance being considerable, yet proportional harm 

 will ensue sufficient to induce us not to repeat the risk. 

 Nature, the best of guides in all that relates to the 

 protection of her creatures, is no where more pointed 

 in her directions than on this head. A necessity for a 

 variety of food, and a desire to secure it, are implanted 

 in the disposition of every animal ; and where is the 

 creature more prone to extensive rambles than the 

 sheep? We limit it to a paltry pasture-ground of 

 roods and acres, but does it not show, by its determi- 

 nation to transgress our barriers, that such is not the 

 treatment nature has designed for it ? There is some- 



