624 Abstract Report of Agricultural Discussions. 
Year ending 3lst December. 
1860. 
1861. 
1862. 
320,219 
77,010 
27,559 
24,452 
312,923 
81,194 
25,902 
30,308 
299,472 
68,818 
29,069 
18,162 
Supposing tliat the live weiglit of each beast is equal to that of ten 
sheep, and that of each calf to two sheep, the weight of homed s.tock 
imported is double that of sheep ; and we have the importations 
steadily declining from 1860 to 1862, notwithstanding that prices of 
meat ranged high dui-ing those years — mutton by the carcase making 
from hd. to &^d. per lb. It would be equally easy to show that the 
British Isles are naturally adapted, beyond most other countries, for 
the production of meat, when we consider the effects of our moist and 
changeable climate in rendering all the strongest land along our 
western shores suitable for pastm-e, and enabling our diy uplands to 
carry forage crops. It is for us to consider how we can best make 
use of these natm-al advantages, and adapt our system to the altered 
conditions that sm'round us. On the one hand, we are told to lay 
down our land to grass ; on the other, to give up corn-growing, and 
Substitute crops that afford sheep food. Where land, owing to soil 
and climate, is especially adapted for grass, it may be profitable to lay 
it down, though there is very little gi-ass land that pays without a con- 
siderable proportion of arable land to work with it ; and we should 
often act wisely if we adopted a more generous treatment of the exist- 
ing grass land rather than added to its extent. No portion of our 
acreage is more grateful for judicious outlay. 
It may be well here to state that in laying down land to permanent 
pasture much evil has resulted from injudicious grazing with sheep. 
Close feeding by heavy or old sheep destroy the clovers and finer 
description of grasses, and with a cropped smrface root-growth is im- 
possible. As well might the forester expect to grow timber if he 
closely pruned off all the branches from his trees. Manuring with 
composts of well-decomposed maniu-e and soil, mowing the grass when 
young, and afterwards grazing with lambs and calves, will prodilce a 
finer and thicker sward in a shorter time than by any other plan. 
Those who would have us abandon corn-growing have never accu- 
rately considered how far live stock can be made to pay for the crop 
they consume. Finding, for instance, that sheep produce a large 
gi'oss return, they are apt to consider that this is all profit ; whereas 
it is not difficult to show that sheep alone, apart from their influence 
on the corn crops, will not pay a living profit after all the expenses of 
growing the crop which they consume arc considered. Thus, a teg 
in good condition, of the long-wool breed, will be worth 40s. on" 
October 1st. From this to the 1st of April — 183 days — it will con- 
sumo about J lb. of oilcake a day, at a cost of about 8s., and Ih tons 
of swedes, at 8s. a ton, 12s. Add to this, attendance 2s,, interest of 
