THE RURAL SOCRATES. 2r 



The autumnal grafs, which Kliyogg converts into 

 inanurc, fupplies him with a third method of improving 

 his meadow ; for he thinks it very hurtful to the ground 

 to luffer cattle to graze late in the year.* Inde- 

 pendently ofthelolsof fo mucli manure, the bcafls 

 breajk the turf; and in a rainy feafon, which comnionly 

 happens in autunnn, the impre^.on of tiieir feet forms (b 

 ziiany ceils for the water ; and this water congealing in 

 winter, greatly injures the roots of the grafs. — This is 

 a new proof of the bad hufoandry of maintaining a dif- 

 proportionate number of horned cattle, Vv^hich occafions 

 the farmer to let them devour every blade of grafs for 

 their fapport, and run the hazard of robbing the earth 

 of its befl fubflance, till, by degrees, the farm is en- 

 tirely ruined. 



Kliyogg is not fatisfied with the improvement of his 

 meadows, but feeks to extend them ; without however 

 deviating from his grand principle, never to purchafe 

 mere ground, till he has carried the culture of what he, 

 pofTeflTes to the highefl; degree of perfection it is capa- 

 ble of attaining.! How is it poflible, lays he, if a cul- 

 tivator has not been able to cultivate properly what he 

 .-^JreadypofTefTes, that he lliould be able to do it, if, by 

 ncreafinghis pofTeilions, he flill more overloads himfelf 

 with care and work ? 



The fertility of an eftate is always in proportion to the 

 culture bedowed ; nay, it will even be found, that if a 

 IP.sn doubles his number of acres, and employs only the 



fame 



* This h mofl cxccllenr advice : but through vafi: trafb of country its 

 England, they fcffer their cattle to remain in the fields all x^intcr, and even 

 fefd wiih hay ia thepaRures ; there cannot t>c a more cxccraWe fyftcm of 

 conduC't. Y. 



•f I cannot read this work without expreffing my furprife, that a book 

 Hvhich certaii.ly contains resny ideas of culture, equal, at leaft, to any that 

 have been offered to the public, fnould have remained fo long; unknown in 

 Kngland. The nwft refined experience could not ftart a juder obferva- 

 fion : it is 2 kffjn to all the firmers of every country in the vvoild. Y. 



