278 MAY. 



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 too many sheep in one parcel. He 

 contended, that the waste o food, from this cir- 

 cumstance, 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 system 

 of division with all the attention I was master of, 

 and am well persuaded that he was right in his 

 opinion ; and that it is impossible to keep as many 

 sheep upon any farm in one flock as in 1O or 2O. 

 The farmer knows nearly what number each field 

 will carry, and they ought to be distributed accord- 

 ingly, with the precaution of having a pen at one 

 corner, in order for examining them daily when the 

 fly is abroad. Here if they are left, with no other 

 changing than drawing off a few, or -adding, ac- 

 cording to extremes of season, they will do well, 

 whether fattening, or ewes and lambs ; and after- 

 wards I minuted the following note : " I continue 

 of opinion, that the quantity of stock I am enabled 

 to keep, depends much on the practice of dividing 

 the flock into small parcels, and leaving them quiet 

 in their respective fields, without folding ; and that 

 if they were in one parcel, and folded, they would 

 on this breadth of land be starved. I cannot but 



urge 



