( 54 ) 



By this means fheep might have their food 

 quite clean ; and by fetting off only the quan- 

 tity neceffary for the day, they would eat their 

 portion with avidity, and not dung upon it, 

 and fpoil more than they eat. Every animal 

 has a natural antipathy to its own excrement : 

 can we then fuppofe fuch clean feeders as fheep 

 an exception to the general rule ? Even their 

 lying down upon their food gives thefe delicate 

 creatures difguft -, and they have fo great an 

 averfion for what they have lain upon, that, 

 unlefs impelled by hunger, they will not meddle 

 with it. Will any farmer indifcriminately ufe 

 certain utenfiis of his bed-chamber for the 

 purpofes to which thofe of his kitchen are ge- 

 nerally applied ? 



The opulent farmer, who may chance to read 

 this, will probably exclaim : " This method 

 may fuit a man who has a fmall flock j but 

 what am I to do with thoufands and tens of 

 thoufands of fheep V* I anfwer: Examine the 

 difference in expence, you will find my method 

 cheaper than driving your thoufands or tens 

 of thoufands from ten to fifty miles from home. 

 For, befides the lofs of manure, and the wafte 

 of turnip, you will not be able to fee them, per- 

 haps, 



