METHOD OF PRESERVING THE LEAVES OF TREES. 
171 
RURAL AFFAIRS.. 
ARTICLE XII. 
AN ACCOUNT OF THE METHOD OF PRESERVING THE LEAVES OF 
TREES, IN CASHMERE, AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR HAY. 
COMMUNICATED BY I. T. 
From the Manuscript Papers of the late Mr, Wm. Moorcroft.—Published in 
the Geographical Journal. 
In several mountainous countries greatly distant from each other, 
and in which, much grass, apparently of a good quality, might be 
cut for hay, as winter food for cattle; I have observed a preference 
given to the leaves of certain trees for this purpose :—these were the 
willow, the mulberry, a variety of elm, and several others; but the 
first mentioned and the walnut were held to be the best, and consi¬ 
dered much more warming and nourishing, than any kind of grass 
made into hay, especially for sheep. Small branches, after having 
been cut when in full leaf, and before they begin to loose any of their 
verdure, are immediately so disposed within the first forks of the tree 
to which they belong, as to be thereby retained in the form of large 
hay-cocks. These branches are piled loosely, yet are so engaged 
amongst themselves as not to be detached by wind, neither do they 
lose their leaves, nor are the least rotted, or in any other respect 
damaged, as to their fitness for food. 
I am not mistaken in asserting, that the fat is whiter of the mut¬ 
ton of Cashmere, not only than of the mutton of Tibut, but of any 
other sheep I have seen; but whether this difference be wholly, or 
in a degree, owing to the sheep being fed on dry leaves, I have not 
facts enough before me to determine. 
This forage, unless where very abundant, is reserved for the se¬ 
vere part of the winter, when the cattle are driven under the trees, 
on which the store is suspended; and the dry branches being pulled 
down, are eaten by them with great avidity. The practice is thus 
simple, unexpensive, affords a considerable resource in a well-tim¬ 
bered or forest farm, and may, perhaps, be worthy of trial, if it prove 
not injurious to the growth or quality of the timber; on which, I 
refer to what I have already said, of the management of walnut-trees, 
in Cashmere. The scarcity of natural pasturage, has forced the 
farmers of Tibut, to cultivate the productions of their soil, as lucerne, 
&c. merely for the increase of fodder; whereas, in Cashmere, the 
exuberance of natural productions, the neglect of cultivating them to 
