86 
The Rot in S/icep. 
and (luring the whole of that time it was constantly fed on hy ewes and lambs 
in the spring, and no instance was ever known of any of these sheep ever 
showing the slightest symptom of rot.' To this part of the statement 1 have 
to observe, that ewes and lambs are not liable to rot when pastnred npon 
water-meadows in spring. It would have been satisfactorj' to have been 
informed whether sheep of any kind were dose-pastured npon the meadow 
in its then partially improved state, either in wet snmmers or iu autumv, and 
what was the result of such pasturage ? " 
F. B. then quotes the whole of the second paragraph ending 
with the question — 
" ' What can he the reason ivliy land ivliich vhcn Jess drained ivus fed hy 
sheep with impunity rots them now when it is much hetter drained?' 
"This negative question," he continues, "appears to me as if put for a 
similar jiurpose to that of the witty King Charles in regard to the weight of 
live and dead salmon ; and in answer 1 will apply the sentiment expressed 
by one of the sages on that occasion : ' Before I assign a reason, I could wish 
to prove the fact.' On entering upon this discussion, it is but fair to acknow- 
ledge I do so \mder a considerable degree of prejudice, because I have experi- 
ence of many instances of low marshy grass-land when in a state of nature, or 
but partially improved, rotting the sheep jiastured upon it ; and that land, 
on being siibsequently thoroughly drained or converted into well-ordered 
water-meadows, did not rot sheep fed upon it in proper season. But I will 
endeavoin- to show, from the ([uerist's own statement, it is jirobable that he 
has come to an erroneous conclusion in estimating the capability of his water- 
meadow. 
"1. Tlie System of Irrigation. — The most proper method of irrigating low 
marshy grmmd, such as the meadow described, is the bed or ridge system. It 
is not probable the meadow in question was so formed, because, if it had, the 
occupier would not have ploughed it up, cultivated it,, and cropped it with 
turnips, as the re-formation of these beds with water-carriers and furrow-drains 
would have been attended with an unnecessary additional expense of from 10?. 
to 201. per acre. Indeed it appears certain the meadow was not so formed, as 
he says, ' The grass-seeds were sown in 1831. They were mown in the 
autumn of that year after having heen irrigated^ Now if water had been 
thrown over new-formed beds of loose cultivated earth, a great piart of it would 
have been washed away, and the young gi-ass-plants along with it. Neither 
is it probable his watering was done upon the catch-work prineii)le, as that is 
not applicable to flat marshy land, such as a great part of the said meadow is 
described to be; and a loose formation of catch-work is still more liable to be 
guttered and the earth washed away than beds so formed. I am therefore led 
to believe the irrigation in question was something of the nature of warj^ing, 
and effected bj' a rivulet dammed up, and the water from it caused to flow 
over the meadow at random, or with but little artificial direction ; and although 
ewes and lambs may do well when pastured in spring unon land so managed, 
or rather mismanaged, j^et sheep of any sort cZo.se pastured upon it in wet sum- 
mers or in autumn would hardly escape rot, and that without any reference to 
whether the land was well or ill drained. The great advantages derived from 
the bed formations and catch-work systems of in'igation are the rapid flow 
of water over the surface, and quick delivery of it by the receivers and furrow 
drains, either to supply other beds at lower levels or convey it to the waste 
water channels, no water ever being allowed to stagnate upon any part of a 
well-ordered meadow. That desirable object cannot ]:ossiljly be attained in 
warped or flooded meadows however much they maybe drained, and hence the 
liability of such meadows to rot sheep. 
