-STROKESTOWN. 2 99 



in Augufr, at 1 2s. and 51b. of wool from the 

 ewe, at better than is. per lb. or 17s. a head. 



They feed them all the year on grafs, having 

 no turnips ; but in fevere weather give them 

 hay. They have much other cattle with them, 

 fuch as yearlings, two year olds, three year 

 olds, &c. felling them four year olds to fuch as 

 want them for fattening. In wet years they are 

 in fome places troubled with the rot, but it is 

 not at all common. Thefe meep walks decreafe 

 as the people become more numerous: parts 

 are ploughed up, but very few inftances of 

 fheep gaining upon tillage. The cottars are 

 never fullered to keep fheep, but have cows 

 grazed for them, as in other parts. 



This part of the country is not populous, 

 but more fo than it was. Thefe fheep-walks 

 are here reckoned much better than the Cur- 

 ragh of Kildare. They are not regular in flocks 

 of ewes, but keep a various frock. A man that 

 has 1000 fheep will have 400 ewes, 200 year- 

 lings having fold 200 of the worfl lambs, 200 

 two year olds, and 200 three year old weathers, 

 which he fells fat ; confequently his annual 

 fale will be 200 lambs, 200 fat wethers, and 

 100 of the worfl old ewes. 



The 



