1910.] The Scouring Lands of Somerset. 



533 



they are allowed to remain for a short time only, or they are 

 fed heavily at the same time with cotton-cake, which partly 

 counteracts the effects of the herbage. If the scouring is not 

 permitted to go too far, the animals soon recover when trans- 

 ferred to sound land, particularly if they have some extra hay 

 or cake. On the other hand, cattle may be so seriously pulled 

 down through remaining long on this land that there is a 

 permanent deterioration and they never completely recover. 

 It must be noted, too, in discussing the effect of scouring land 

 on cattle, that the constitution of each individual animal is an 

 important factor. Farmers with "teart" land are obliged to 

 exercise the greatest care in buying their animals, so as to 

 choose only those of the soundest and strongest constitutions. 

 Further, animals which have been bred on "teart " land farms 

 are more likely to suffer badly than those from sound land. 



The Water Supply. — Scouring on "teart" land has fre- 

 quently been put down to the water supply; and, indeed, 

 springs highly charged with mineral salts which possess 

 aperient properties do occur in some "teart" fields. Such 

 water is liable to scour cattle drinking it. On the other hand, 

 many fields, though supplied with perfectly good water 

 coming from a different geological formation, are none the 

 less very "teart." All that can be concluded is that, though 

 in certain places the drinking water may make matters worse, 

 yet the provision of good water by itself is not the cure.* 



The Influence of Manures. — Inquiries show that the ap- 

 plication of manures to "teart" pastures results, as has been 

 stated by previous observers, in an increase of the trouble. 

 Probably this is simply because it increases the rapidity and 

 amount of growth, since it is always in seasons of greatest 

 and most rapid growth that scouring is most serious; and, 

 on the contrary, in seasons of slow regular growth it is not 

 so evident. 



In this connection it is perhaps appropriate to note that 

 many farmers consider that sheep have a considerable in- 

 fluence on "teart" land. The more the land is grazed by 



* I should like, however, to point out that one of the late Dr. Voelcker's 

 recommendations, given in the report above referred to, was that it is highly 

 advisable to provide cattle with soft drinking water on " teart " lands in 

 place of the natural springs. Mr. Aubrey Clarke also lays considerable stress 

 on this point. 



