348 NATURAL GRASSES. 12. 



The expenditure of aftergrafs in this coun- 

 try is principally on milked cows-, fome on 

 ilry fatting cows, and fome on oxen thrown 

 up from work in the fpring and finifhed with 

 aftcrgrafs. 



GEN. OESERV. ON AFTERGRASS. Grafs 

 which has been trampled under foot, in the 

 manner defcribed above, necefiarily remains 

 in winter an encumbrance to the furface. If 

 the ground be foddered upon, fome of it will 

 of courfe be worked off by cattle ; and horfes 

 will eat a ftill greater fhare of it. Still, how- 

 ever, the fward will be ragged in the fpring ; 

 ir thing which ought to be avoided. In the 

 early part of fpringj aftergrafs ought to be 

 level ; that is, cither entirely bare^ or covered 

 with a fufficient even bits of unfoilcd after- 

 fafs, or winter-freed pafturage 



Two of the ableft rural economiils ofthefe 

 kingdoms (one of them of Lancafhire, the 

 oiher of Leicefierfiiire) make a point of fav- 

 ing autumnal grais for fpring-feed ; and they 

 are probably r'ght when they affert that it is 

 the moil certain, and on the whole the belf, 

 ipring-feecl at prefcnt known. 



On thefe principles the right management 

 of aftergrafs is evident. The forwardeft 



ought 



