198 



begins to use the water rather more spa- 

 ringly than in autumn or winter, for his^ 

 chief object now is to encourage or force 

 vegetation. 



At the beginning of the month of March, 

 the crop of grass on the old floated mea- 

 dows, will generally be sufficient to afford 

 a good bite to any kind of farming-stock, 

 and the water is taken off for nearly a 

 week, that the land may become dry and 

 firm, before the heavy cattle are admitted. 

 It is proper, in the first week of eating off 

 the spring-feed, if the season be cold or 

 rainy, to give the cattle a little hay in the 

 evening, to intermix with their moist food. 

 Some farmers, very discreetly, give the 

 spring-grass of their meadows to their 

 ewes and lambs, in the same manner as a 

 crop of turnips is given to sheep, by allot- 

 ting 



