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however, fome woodlands ttill in their original (late ; and 

 by the author of that of the latter, it is remarked, that fo 

 predominant is the timber and wood of one fort or another 

 in the weald of that county, that when viewed from any 

 eminence in the neighbourhood, it prefents to the eye hardly 

 any other profpeA but a mafs of wood, which is, it is 

 thought, to be afcribed to the great extent and quantity of 

 wood, preferved by a cuftom of a nature fo extraordinary, 

 that it is not a little furprifing no fteps have been taken to 

 put an end to it. 



When this county was firft improved by clearing, as m 

 the other diftrift, it was, it is faid, a common praftice to 

 leave 2.Jhaiu of wood feveral yards in width, to encompafs 

 each diilinft inclofure, as a nurfery for the timber and other 

 plants. The fizes of thefe inclofures being fmall, they muft 

 of neceifity contribute to render the general appearance of 

 the traft woody. 



Anterior to the Conqueft, the weald of this county was, 

 it is faid, a continued forell, extending from the borders 

 of the firfl: diftrift to the confines of Hamplhire, acrofs 

 the whole of it ; and the names of a variety of parifhes 

 fituated in this hne, and evidently derived from Saxon 

 original, atteft this faft to the prefent day. In fhort, the 

 forefL now remaining occupies, it is faid, a confiderable 

 portion of the county. 



The weald parts of both thefe counties were probably 

 once one great foreft. 



It is noticed, that there is, perhaps, no objeft in the weald 

 of the latter county, fo worthy of attention and obfervation 

 as the grow til of timber ; that there is no region of the 

 earth where trees of all kinds thrive better, but efpecially 

 thofe of the oak and afh forts. The traft there diilinguiflied 

 by the title of the Weald has formerly-, it is ftated, been 

 covered with trees, and it was called the forell of An- 

 derida ; and that now, even if a field be neglefted, it will 

 become a wood, principally of oak and birch, intermixed 

 with hazel, fome kinds of willow, and dog wood. 



This difpofition for the growth and railing of wood and 

 timber (hould, in all cafes of weald land where it cannot be 

 converted to a better or more profitable purpofe, be taken 

 advantage of and promoted, by proper plantmg and en- 

 couraging the natural growth of the wood thrown up, as it 

 may form one great feature in the improvement of fuch 

 land, and be produftive of vaft benefit in bringing every 

 portion and fort of it to the greatell profit. 



WEALREAF, in our Old Writers, fignifies the robbing 

 of a dead man in his grave. 



The word comes from the Saxon nueal, Jlrages, and reaf, 

 fpoIiaUo. 



WEANEL, a country term for a young beaft newly 

 weaned, or taken from fucking its dam. 



WEANING, Ablactation. See Ablactation. 



Weaning Toung Live-Stock, in Rural Economy, the fepa- 

 rating them from the mothers in the different kinds, for dif- 

 ferent purpofes, and in different intentions. 



Foals, where they are defigned for the faddle, fhould, 

 on being taken from the mothers, be put into fome fafe 

 (beds or other proper places at a diftance, where they can 

 be quiet and out of the hearing of the mares, being well 

 fupplied with the neceffary forts of food and good water for 

 a day or two ; the buildings fliould be connefted with 

 grafs-fields, into which they can be turned in the day-time, 

 but be always brought up for the night, for fome time, 

 having proper kinds of dry food then given them in full 

 quantities, fo as to get them on well at firft. Some intel- 

 ligent breeders have their young horfe-ftock fed, after 

 weaning, with coarfely ground oats and one-third flour, 



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divided into proper feeds, and given on the nights in the 

 houfes. This, it is faid, pulhes them on early to a full 

 growth, and that they never become ftunted afterwards. 

 In fome inllances, it may be ufeful and proper to put the 

 colt and filly foals into feparate paftures. Where a number 

 are to be weaned at a time, it is of advantage to have the 

 pafture-lands pretty large. See Breeding, Foal, and 

 Horse. 



In the weaning* of the young of neat cattle, the bufinefs 

 is accompliftied at different times or ages of the animals, as 

 the nature of the purpofe for which they are defigned may 

 be ; when for rearing as ftock, it is often done immediately, 

 or in a few days or weeks, and when for fattening, not at 

 all. If for fale, the time is uncertain, depending on the 

 demand. Where good neat cattle-ftock is the objeft, as foon 

 as the natural food milk is laid afide, a fubflitute of fome 

 good fort of diet fhould be had recourfe to, fuch as oat or 

 barley-meal, ftirred in with the jelly of linfeed, that has 

 been produced by being fteeped in hot water, and mixed 

 with flet milk ; which ftiould be continued until they be- 

 come capable of eating more firm and folid kinds of food, 

 fuch as either oats, fpht beans, and chopped hay, or bran, 

 and barley-flour mixed : in the early Ipring they (hould 

 be turned out into good grafs paftures in warm fituations. 

 By thefe means they will be brought on well, and become 

 good ftrong ftock. For the purpofe of rearing, as well as 

 that of the butcher, thofe that are dropped early are to be 

 preferred, as after the early fpring months, they are not 

 found capable of gaining fufficient ftrength and hardnefs 

 before the fucceeding winter comes on, or a proper fize and 

 growth by the enfuing fpring. 



In the buying of the young of neat cattle for weaning 

 there are many fyftems of management among farmers : fome 

 prefer bull calves for caftration, and which they keep, in fome 

 cafes, until they become reared, and are fat bullocks fit for 

 the market ; others buy cow-calves of the true fhort-honied, 

 or fome other good milking-breed, which they fell at two 

 years, or two years and a half old, and upwards, to the cow- 

 keepers as milking-ftock. In this method, they are col- 

 lefted from the latter end of the fummer through the autumn 

 of the above true breed, as others will not do from 

 Yorkftiire, and other places where they are to be met with 

 of the right kind, as fuch fell better, and more readily to 

 the cow-keepers for affording milk. In weaning, they are 

 then firft put to llcim-milk, and tempted as foon as poflible 

 to eat fome other good food, as bran, oats, oil-cake, the 

 fwecteft hay, common turnips, and cole or rape ; but 

 nothing is found to do better for them than the Swedifh 

 turnip cut fmall. In keeping them, they fhould have great 

 attention to cleanlinefs, and the proper and regular feeding 

 of them. In this way they are continued, being kept in 

 fheds in the night-time, and turned out by day, until the 

 fpring, when the ray-grafs becomes ready, and then they 

 may go out gradually altogether, according as the weather 

 may be : after ray-grafs to the beft marfhes or paftures ; 

 in the autumn to cole or rape that is feeding off for wheat, 

 and after that to turnips : it is a rule with fome to feed them 

 through the whole period of keeping them as well as pof- 

 fible. This is expenfive, but it is conceived, that if they 

 will not pay for good keeping, they will not for bad. 

 Some, however, when they are turned out, make them the 

 followers of the fattening ftock. 



In this fyftem there are' thofe, too, who buy both cow 

 and buil-calves, difpofing of the former in the above manner, 

 and keeping the latter raifing a fucccfGon of fteers for the 

 grazing or fattening farmers. 



All thefe modes, though hazardous in fome inftances, aie 



often 



