BULLOCK FATTENING 389 



strong land Timothy certainly makes a most profitable 

 temporary ley, which has been known to yield as much 

 as four tons of hay to the acre in the first cut, but we 

 are not aware that any considerable trial has been 

 given to it in England. However, on the Carse the 

 seeds mixture usually consisted of clovers and rye 

 grass, and after the rainy weather during August we 

 saw some tremendous aftermaths. 



The Carse farms carry both bullocks and sheep, 

 though neither are bred on the land, but are bought 

 in to be fattened. The bullocks are generally Irish 

 stores ; some are fattened out on the grass during the 

 summer with the help of cake, only a little of the land 

 heavy permanent pasture at the foot of the hills 

 being good enough to fatten a bullock without aid. 

 As the season advances more bullocks are bought, 

 started on the grass, and gradually drafted into the 

 yards to be finished ; one lot we saw were being fed 

 on the green beans given whole just as they were cut, 

 together with about 10 Ib. of cake per diem. Heavy 

 cake feeding is usual, so heavy that it is difficult to see 

 where the profit comes in, even with the fine markets 

 for beef close at hand. Sheep, usually cross-breds. 

 are only bought in to eat off the aftermath ; the land 

 is too heavy to allow them to go on to the turnips. 

 The fold is made with coarse netting instead of the 

 south country hurdles, and yarn nets are giving place 

 to wire. But though fattening is a considerable item 

 in the programme of a Carse farm, the greater part of 

 the produce is sold right away, because the tenants 

 have almost complete freedom of cropping and sale. 

 The hay is sold except what is wanted for the horses, 

 for the Scotch farmer very rarely feeds hay to his 

 bullocks ; and even a good deal of the straw is sold, 

 because for bedding purposes it can be replaced by 



