On the Farming of Suffolk. 



305 



given a sketch, are 18 and 21 feet long, on four iron wheels; the 

 axles of the wheels are one yard long. If the wheels were closer, 

 the hurdles would blow over. 



SectioiL. 



An 18-foot hurdle is made from a 21 -foot deal, costing \0s. 6d., 

 four wheels 35., making altogether something less than 20s. for 

 each hurdle. The fold is set in a quarter of an hour bj a boy ; 

 or if on a fallow where the soil is loose, a horse is hung on 

 and draws one side of the fold at once. Mr. Denny says the 

 advantages of these hurdles over those commonly used are their 

 durability, their little trouble in removal, particularly on hard 

 land ; they are not so liable to blow down, which common hurdles 

 frequently do on light hilly land similar to his farm. Strongly 

 as he recommends these, yet he would prefer iron hurdles on 

 wheels : these are used by farmers in the neighbourhood of 

 Mendham : some are made with iron rods between the top and 

 bottom rails. 



On asking the cost of hurdles of this description in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Stowmarket I was told I65. each; these were made 

 of larch poles sawn in two, 20 feet in length, with four iron 

 wheels. 



Breeding sheep are chiefly a cross between the Down and old 

 Norfolk. Grazing sheep — half-bred Leicesters are preferred — 

 are bought in the autumn, and sold fat from March to June. 



Some farmers throughout the winter feed their sheep during 

 the day on pasture-land, carting turnips for them from arable 

 land, and in the night drive them into a yard ; by this ma- 

 nagement the injury done by treading the land is prevented, 

 and a good yard of manure accumulates during the winter 

 months. 



Farmers who feed their sheep on pastures and then drive them 

 to fold on arable land are often of opinion that grass-land is in- 

 jured by sheep. 



I find it is the opinion of a good practical farmer who folds on 

 grass-land that he has greatly improved his heavy-land pastures 

 by that means. As affording a valuable supply of spring food the fol- 

 lowing practice may be worth mentioning, and it is not the worse 

 for being an old system strongly recommended by A. Young. A 

 portion of the pastures are not fed in the autumn, or the after- 

 math, after the hay has been made, is shut up through the winter ; 



