GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 53 



from the cattle yards, may be fertilized by sheep -farming ; 

 vetches and cabbages being grown for summer folding, and 

 a certain amount of grassland being available for use 

 in wet weather. The sheep-fold is the only system 

 by which the whole of the manure derivable from crop 

 consumption is returned to the soil ; and by itself, without 

 other manure, a certain amount of added purchased food 

 being also given, it is sufficient to maintain fertility, 

 in spite of the continual draught upon the land made 

 by the corn sales of the farm. And it is well wherever 

 possible to adopt a system of manuring which involves 

 the very minimum of the labour required to apply the 

 fertilizer and distribute it. A more liberal manuring 

 is given at less cost for labour in this way than in any other. 

 In a field of roots 20 to 25 tons per acre fed off by 

 sheep receiving lib. each of cake a day, the manure applied 

 means 1 ton of cake consumed per acre, which is quite the 

 maximum of added fertility known to ordinary farm practice ; 

 and this is applied in the most perfect manner with little 

 labour ; and economically otherwise, for it may possibly be 

 all repaid in the mutton made if the sheep have been well 

 selected or well bought. 



The data given on p. 33 will enable the calculation of the 

 stock required upon the farm, in order to the consumption 

 of the food provided. And the figures given are we think 

 sufficiently liberal to hinder the employment of more stock 

 than the food provided can maintain than which a greater 

 error cannot be committed. To be forced to sell because of 

 being overstocked, or indeed for any cause whatever, is 

 certain to end in loss. And it will always be better there- 

 fore to understock than to overstock your land. Calculating 

 on the data already given, a crop of clover which will give 



