OF SOMERSETSHIRE- 291

CHAPTER C

ELE SE OSC

“J HE fiock of Taunton-Dean is principally neât cattle and ſheep; the former of the North Devon, the latter of the Dorſet breed, both excellent of their kind. Many graziers prefer the oxen bred in this diftri& to thoſe of Barnſtaple, South-Molton, Torrington,&c. and the ſheep are conſidered as equally profitable with the Leiceſterſhire breed, which have been introduced, but do not gain ground. The dairy farmers are accuſtomed to take in ſheep to keep during the winter, viz. from the beginning of October and November, to the 5th of April; the uſual prices are, for hog ſheep five ſhillings, and for ewes ſeven or eight ſMil- lings per head. The Dorſetſhire flocks are greatly im- proved by this cuſtom, and the price of keeping is on the advance.

Oxen âre principally uſed, and are for the moſt part worked in yokes; ſome, however, are advocates for working fingly in harneſs, and there can be no doubt but oxen may be uſed more to advantage this way than the other. The ſhape of an ox’s breaſt is peculiarly ill calculated to bear the preſſure of the bow; and when worked hard in pairs, they

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vf the reſervoir from whence the ſprings are fed. A judicious ſurvey of the adjacent land, and a liberal uſe of the borer, are neceſlary pre- liminaries.to a cheap and effeQual remedy for wet land, and there are few men in the kingdom poſſeſſed of equal ſkill in this departntent of agriculture with Mr. ELKI1NGTON, of Lancaſhire, whoſe fame is not confined to the county in which he lives, but ie known and acknow- edged in many parts of the kingdom.

EREN 5 ; UR are a C E e E e) LALA REN) E