274 On the Ch-owth of Mangolds, Cahhages, &c. 
cold and winters commence early, luxuriates in the warm sun- 
shine of the south, and yields heavy weights of roots per acre in 
the very situations where swedes only give moderate results, 
even if it be possible to grow them at all. Cabbages equal in 
weight per acre to any root crop can also be raised in many 
localities, and it need scarcely be observed that, in regard to 
nutritive property and being well adapted for all kinds of stock- 
feeding purposes, few crops possible to be grown can surpass 
the cabbage. 
Large numbers of farmers in the east and south of England, 
while readily admitting all this and also the possibility of 
growing silage crops advantageously on clay soils as substitutes 
for swedes and turnips, still hold the opinion that the latter must 
be made the foundation of good farming on all light and medium- 
class soils, because of the convenience and wise policy of feeding 
these crops off on the land with sheep in winter. There are 
several other crops, however, adapted to the same management. 
Thousand-headed kale, for instance, may be fed off on the land 
by sheep at any period of the year, and being a very hardy plant 
calculated to withstand severe winters even better than swedes, 
it seems peculiarly well adapted in February, March, and April 
for consumption by flocks on large light-land arable farms. 
And what gives this argument still more force is the abundance 
of dainty feed for young lambs in the tender shoots of the kale 
heads throughout spring. The food is peculiarly wholesome 
also for both ewes and lambs, and can be given to in-lamb ewes 
in any quantity without the slightest risk, whereas feeding them 
on full meals of turnips often leads to abortions and stillborn 
lambs. 
Nor does it at all follow that only those roots and grain 
crops that remain standing on the land are to be fed off by 
sheep on the breaching or folding system. Mr. Johnson has 
thrown out a suggestion worthy of attention, that when silage 
crops are grown as substitutes for turnips and the owners would 
prefer the produce being fed on the land where it was grown, a 
stack could be built in the middle of the field, and at the most 
convenient season a flock could be breached evenly all over it 
while consuming the silage. The advantage of adopting this 
course would be very great when turnips are made to succeed 
a silage crop, as the roots and silage could be fed off together. 
Flockmasters in some districts are. accustomed to feed off 
mangolds in the same way, they being placed in small heaps and 
clamped at the period of lifting in October or November, the 
consumption by sheep often not taking place until towards the 
end of winter or during spring. When this course is pursued 
