GRAZING. 



torn to purcliafe this fort of cuts at Kingfton, Weyliill, aiicT 

 other fairs in the neighbourhood. 'J'hc cwts, in order that 

 they may have a plentiful fupply of milk, arc extremely 

 well kept on turnips, brewers' grains, and fine green fweet 

 roiien hay, and the lambs thereby forced forward iu fuch a 

 rapid manner, as to be ready for the markets in the begin, 

 uing of March or April. And the twes, from their becom- 

 ing dry io early, are capable of being fattened and difju-led 

 of towrads Michaelmas, ufually fetching the prices at which 

 they were purchafed in at : as the whole of the ftock is in 

 this fyftem cleared within the year, the farmer has the oppor- 

 tunity of fully atcertaining its advantage or difadvantage. 

 The ilatcment of which is thus given in the able Survey of 

 the Agriculture of the County of Middlefex : 



Lamb, fold at 

 Ewe, do. do. 

 Wool, zs. 6J. or 



Stattimnt. 



Together 

 Deduct prime coft 



s. 



IO 



IO 



2 



J 

 o 

 o 

 o 



Remains the iacreafe of an ewe in one year 



It is hinted, that " in this management very much de- 

 pends upon keeping the ewes perfectly well fed, and in dry 

 warm inclofed paftures, as without fuch attention the ewes 

 are apt to become thm and lean, in confcquence of the great- 

 nefs of the evacuation, and afterward to require a much 

 longer time in being made fat,'' by which much lofs mull 

 be fullained. In the Economy of the Midland Counties, a 

 practice in refpeft to fattening grafs-lambs, is fuggelled, 

 vrhich in particular cafes may be beneficial ; which is that 

 of removing the lanribs from the ewes when they decUne much 

 in milk, before they are perfeftly fattened, in order to com- 

 plete them on young clover, or other forts of " prime keep.'' 

 The chief objeft in this cafe is, that of the ewes becoming 

 fooner ready for the butcher. Some, alfo, conceive, that 

 after the firft fiufh of milk is gone, and it begins to be fcan- 

 ty, the lambs thrive better " on grafs alone, away from the 

 ewes," than when kept along with them, as the hankering 

 after the little milk that is afforded prevents their feeding 

 freely on the grafs. Hence it is fuppofed, that " where this 

 method is followed, which can proljably be with advantage 

 only where the milk of the ewes is greatly deficient in fup- 

 porting and bringing the lambs forward, much attention 

 muft be paid to having the keep early and in abundance. In 

 this view, rye-grafs and white clover for early iiic, and broad 

 clover at a later period, may be the moll proper and ufetul 

 crops. In this management the ewes ftiould be carefully 

 examined occafionally ; and, where much deficiency in the 

 milk is found, the lambs be immediately removed to the 

 paltures." 



In refpect to the flocking of grafs-lands in tlie molt advan- 

 tageous manner for the grazier, it mull depend materially on 

 the richnefs of the lands, and the nature of the Hock in 

 refpeft to fize, and other circumllances. But, according 

 to Mr. Bilhngdey, the Somerletfhire graziers, in Hocking 

 the rich and middling forts of grafs-land, allow, to an ox, 

 from one acre to an acre and a half; and fome add one flieep 

 to each ox. But, in Lincolnfhire, they llock in much larger 

 proportions ; as is fhewn in the Agricultural Survey of that 

 diflrict, where they are brought into a tabular form as be- 

 low, for the more rich paftiu-e land. 



Table of Stocking ricli Paflurpi. 



Nam*« of |>1-.»:i-|. 



! Long Sutton . . . 



Mr. Scroop . . . 

 Bollon, &c. - 



Skirbeck . . . 



Bo don . - . . 

 Deeping Fen, Mr. Graves 



Alderchurch, Mr. Bcrridge 



Swinefliead . . . 



Eweiby - - - . 

 Horbling, &c. 



Hov.el - . - - 



Upon this it is obferved, that " confidering the fize if 

 the fheep, which cannot be ellimatcd at lefs than z^lb. a 

 quarter, on an average ; and that the bullocks rife from 

 50 to 100 flone (141b.), tliis rateof flocking is very great 

 indeed. There are, on every acre, 3601b. of mutton, and 

 reckoning the bullocks at 42 flone, dead wtight, tlierc is alfo 

 3361b. of beef; in all, 6961b. of meat per acre in fummcr, 

 bcfides the winter produce, whicli is immenfe.'' 



But, in the rich grazing counties in the more fouthem 

 parts of the illand, a I;irge proportion of both fhi-ep and cat- 

 tle flock is admitted per acre : the exaifl pnjportion, how- 

 ever, ditlcrs with dilfi rent graziers very greatly. 



But the gre.nt aud leading principle in this bufmefs is, 

 however, never to flock in fuch a manner as to reftricl the 

 animals in the leafl ; as it is by their being enabled to fill 

 themfeKes quickly, and to lie down much, that the grealefl 

 progrefs and advancement in fattening are made, whetlitr in 

 tloek of the cattle, flieep, or any other fort, when at grals. 

 But, on the inferior or weaker grafs-lar.J,-;, a much fmaller 

 proportion of flock than on thofe of the rich and fertile 

 kind only can be employed. It can frequently not be more 

 than an ox and a fheep or two, to two acres, or two atrts 

 and a half. However, in flocking with neat-cattle, for the 

 purpofe of fattening, it fhould conllantly be fuch as that 

 the animals may have a full bite ; but with fheep, fuch as 

 to keep the padure in a rather clofe flate of feeding. An- 

 other circumflance is neceffary to be attended to, in order to 

 bring the grazing-llock properly forward in paftures, which 

 is that of changing them more frequently than has generally 

 been the cafe with grazing farmers. And it is, perhaps, on 

 this principle, as well as thofe of their affording greater 

 4 T 2 degrees 



