46 The Shepherds^ Guide, 



Instead of biting off the leaves, they will tear up 

 the plants. After the ground is well settled in the 

 springs the sheep may again be permitted to run 

 on it, until the lye begins to rise for seed : under this 

 management, the feet and tails of the sheep do 

 ir ore good, than their teeth do injury. A field of 

 good rowen which has been shut up, and preserv- 

 ed trom the latter end of the preceding summer, 

 is more than a good substitute ; it is perhaps bet- 

 ter than rye for early spring feed. At the first view, 

 rowen has an unfavourable ?.]>pearance from the 

 covering of decayed autumnal grass, but when 

 this is removed, it presents a growth of fresh green 

 grass, brought up under the shelter and warmth 

 of the covering of old grass. The sheep eat both 

 togcrhtr, having as it were hay and grass in the 

 same bite : it agrees remarkably well with them, 

 and is less apt to scour them than rye. 



Good hay, with a very little corn, is quite suffi- 

 cient for the flock in the beginning of winter ; but 

 it is certainly very expensive ; so much so, that 

 the English give very little of either to their 

 sheep, hut keep them all summer on grass, and 

 all wmcer on green food i such as turnips, cabba- 

 ges, carrots or potatoes ; particularly turnips. 

 There is no branch of agriculture in which we 

 are more deficient than this, of raising green food 

 for our stock during winter ; which, unquestiona- 

 bly is much cheaper than hay and grain ; but it 

 must be confessed our climate, and the price of 



