On Grass Land. 421 



this sort of grass, being only capable of sustaining a very 

 moderate degree of fermentation. 



When the natural herbage however, is of a coarser descrip- 

 tion, it may be put into small cocks, in rather a green or 

 damp state, so as to go through the process of " a sweat- 

 " ing" or slight fermentation ( 339 ). The woody fibres in 

 coarse hay, are thus rendered more palatable and nutritious, 

 while its condition for becoming fodder, is considerably im- 

 proved : but when any warmth becomes perceptible, if the 

 weather will permit it, the hay should be spread out, and 

 put into large cocks, the moment it is in a dried state ( 34 ). 



In the moister pastoral districts, in the north-west parts 

 of Scotland, hay-barns are necessary, the construction of 

 which is as open as possible, for the purpose of drying, as 

 well as preserving the hay ( 341 ). In some of these districts, 

 a curious device has been fallen upon, of making the hay, 

 when dried, into ropes of two fathoms in length, and then 

 twisted twofold. Being thus compressed, less room is re- 

 quired in the barn, and in this shape, it is carried with 

 greater facility, to distant glens, for the use of cattle during 

 stormy weather ( 34a ). 



6. After-Grass, or Rowen. 



After-grass, in Middlesex, is often let by the farmer, at 

 about 20s. per acre, to be fed off by heavy cattle, till such 

 time as the land, would run the hazard of being injured by 

 their poaching, were they continued in the field. It is well 

 known, that wherever a bullock makes a hole with his foot in 

 a clayey soil, it holds water, and destroys the herbage, which 

 is not quite replaced, till several years after the whole has 

 grown up. When the cattle are removed, sheep are kept 

 till Candlemas. Sometimes they are permitted to consume 

 the whole after-grass, at from 3s. to 5s. per score per week. 



In some districts, rowen, or the second growth of grass, after 

 the hay is mown in July, is preserved from every species of 

 stock, until the spring months, or the beginning of May, 

 when it is fed with sheep. Where there are no water-mea- 

 dows, this seems to be the most valuable resource that the 

 sheep farmer can resort to. The value of aftermath, as 

 usually consumed, is inconsiderable, not worth more than 

 from 7s. 6d. to 15s. or 20s. per acre. Tolerable rowen will 

 carry five, in some cases even ten ewes per acre, with their 

 lambs, throughout the most pinching periods of the spring, 

 when the turnips are done, and the forward grasses are not 



