Merino.Ryeland Breed of Sheep, J^6g 



This will farther appear to the Board, when I state to them the extent and 

 produce of my farm, and other food employed, in connection with my actual 

 stock. 



I occupy 160 acres of land, of which go are four inclosures, each from 20 to 30 

 acres, of Down, lying very high, dry, and without shelter ; but, nevertheless, in moist 

 seasons, for the most part productive. The rest is, on tlie whole, tolerably sheltered, 

 and divided into about 10 inclosures ; of which about 20 acres are arable. I 

 have no water meadows, and I cannot depend on a spring of grass for my sheep earlier 

 than the middle of May. Last summer I made about 40 ton of hay, a good deal 

 of which was spoiled ; and to compensate for my want of spontaneous green food, 

 I kept about 20 acres of rouen, for the latter part of the winter and spring. I had 

 also about half an acre of winter cabbage, and four acres of rape and turnip cabbage, 

 all of which, from being sown or set too late, were very defective in produce. I had 

 also no better a crop of ray grass on 4^ acres of white oats, which is utterly choaked 

 with weeds, and I am now reploughing. I must mention, in my own justification, 

 that these unfavourable circumstances were owing to my having just come into the 

 occupation of this land, which I found in the greatest possible state of neglect, but 

 which I was, nevertheless, obliged so to appropriate, under all risks, as to supply 

 my sheep in the best manner. I had, however, 2^ acres of the best drum-head 

 spring cabbages which I ever saw, and which, with my rouen, will, I trust, supply 

 my sheep till the new grass. I had, besides, the aftergrass of seven acres, and one 

 acre of worn out hop clover, or nonsuch. The hay will about serve through the 

 year ; in addition to which, if I can induce my sheep to eat them, I shall have 

 consumed 30 sacks of refuse potatoes, raised on my own ground, a ton and a quar-- 

 ter of ground oil-cake, and 28 bushels of linseed. 



My stock, from the middle of September, were the sheep which I have men- 

 tioned above, amounting to full 450, together with three farm horses, and withirt 

 these six weeks, a fourth, which are fed from the farm, except with some corn while 

 at plough, and, at other times, with a small proportion of grains mixed with their 

 chaff. I had also a very useful draught jack-ass ; and, till the middle of January, 

 two cows. At this time, April 4th, I have likewise 195 lambs. 



After this account of the nature and quantity of food employed relatively to my 

 stock of animals, no one surely will wonder that I cannot boast of any peculiar 

 success in what I never attempted, fattening. In factj from the nature of my land„ 



