On Grass Land. 431 



prematurely, which checks its progress, but remains un- 

 touched, till it is ready for consumption. 



Some eminent and extensive agriculturists in Ireland ( 3<J9 ), 

 have practised this system with success, and have produced 

 by it, beef and mutton of the best quality, while their lands 

 have at the same time been materially improved. In other 

 cases, it has been tried with milch-cows, store cattle, sheep, 

 and lambs, with all of which it has completely answered ( 3?0 ). 

 By its adoption, it has been found, that land will improve 

 more in two years, than under indiscriminate pasturage, in 

 five ; and that at least, one-third more stock may be main- 

 tained per acre, under the one system than the other. The 

 reason is obvious, the cattle being better fed, deposit more 

 dung, which falling in a narrow compass, is trodden into the 

 ground, by the time the spot of grass, on which they are 

 tethered, is nearly eaten ; whereas, when dung is scattered 

 about, the land is not much benefited by it( 371 ). 



But though superior to promiscuous pasturage, the plan 

 of tethering cannot, as a general practice, be compared to 

 soiling. The latter is to be preferred, as securing a larger 

 proportion of the crop of grass, of which some part must be 

 injured or destroyed when stock are tethered on it ; as the 

 grass, when cut for soiling, seems sooner to recover, and to 

 grow up more quickly and more equally, than what has been 

 eaten off by the cattle ; as animals consuming grass in the 

 house, are free from the excessive heat of summer, and from 

 the stings of flies, which to them are extremely vexatious; 

 and as their dung and urine are of much greater value, when 

 preserved in dung-hills or cisterns, and in a state fit to be 

 carried wherever they are most wanted ( 37z ), than even when 

 trodden into the ground where dropt. 



The plan of tethering, however, ought to be kept in view, 

 as an assistant to the soiling system ; for where preparations 

 have been made for soiling, and, owing to the coldness or 

 dryness of the season, the clover has made little or no pro- 

 gress, so as to be unfit for cutting, it might be advisable, 

 to try the plan of tethering, till the grass is more advanced. 



Where tethering is objected to, the plan of hurdling may 

 be adopted, either with natural, or artificial grasses. By 

 this mode of feeding, a portion of land in grass, is inclosed 

 by hurdles ( 373 ), in which sheep are confined ; and as the 

 crop is consumed, the pen is changed to a fresh place, un- 

 til the whole is fed off. This practice is very extensively 

 adopted at Holkham, and is peculiarly calculated for light 



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