RECOMMENDED. 319 



In order to feed the crop where they grow, which is an ef- 

 fential article, herdles niuft be procured ; as a part therefore of 

 the fyftem, plant two or three acres of the ftrait timber fally, 

 in the fame manner as for a twig garden, only the plants not 

 quite fo clofe, thefe at two years growth will make very good 

 flieep herdles, they fhould be 6 or 7 feet long and 3 feet high, 

 the bottoms of the upright ftakes fharpened, and projecting 

 from the wattle work 6 inches, they are fixed down by means 

 of (takes, one ftake to each herdle, and a band of year old 

 fally goes over the two end #akes of the herdle, and the 

 moveable ftake they are fixed with : the herdles are very 

 eafiiy made, but the beft way would be to fend over an Irifli 

 labourer to England to become a mailer of it, which he would 

 do in a couple of months. 



Being thus provided with herdles, and making fome other 

 fhift till the fallies are grown, you muft feed your crop (if you 

 would apply them to the bell advantage) with fat wethers, 

 beginning the middle of November, or firil week in December, 

 and herdling off a piece proportioned to the number of your 

 Iheep, let them live there, night and day, when they have 

 nearly eaten the piece up, give them another, and fo on whiU 

 your crop lafts : when you come to have plenty of herdles* 

 there fhould be a double row in order to let your lean ftieep 

 follow the fat ones, and eat up their leavings ; by whick 

 means none will be loft. The great profit of this practice in 

 Ireland is being able to fell your fat Iheep in the fpring when 

 mutton almoft doubles its price. If you fat oxen with tur- 

 jieps they muft be given in Iheds, well littered, and kept clean, 

 and the beafts fhould have good hay. Take care never to at- 

 tempt to fatten either beafts or wethers with them that are 

 lean at putting them to turneps ; the application is profitable 

 only for animals that are not lefs than half fat. 



Upon the crop being eaten there is a variation of conduct 

 founded on circumftances not eafy fully to defcribe, which is 

 ploughing once, twice, or thrice for barley ; the foil muft be 

 dry, loofe, and friable for that grain, and as clover is alwars 

 to be fown on it, it muft be fine, but if the firft ploughing is 

 hit in proper time and weather, the land will be in finer order 

 on many foils than after fucceffive ploughings. The farmer 

 in his field muft be the judge of this : fuffice it to fay, that the 

 right moment to fend the ploughs into afield is one of die moll 

 difficult points to be learned in tillage, and which no inftrufti- 

 ons can teach. It is practice alone that can do it. As to 

 the time of fowing the barley in Ireland I fhould mils no 

 feafon after the middle of February if I had my land in or- 

 der. Sow three quarters of a barrel, or a barrel and quarter 

 of barley to the plantation acre, according to the richnels of 

 the land, if it had a moderate manuring for turneps, and fed 

 with fat fheep, three quarters or a whqle one would be luffici- 

 cnt, but if you doubt your h?nd being in hdtrt, fo\v one :ind a 

 quarter. Plough firft, (whether owe, twice or thrice) and 



then 



