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when they are two and an half years old, than thoſe that are reared in ths ordinary way commonly are when double that age.

This circumſtance renders the cultivation of coarſe potatoes a moſt im- portant and intereſting affair in that branch of rural œconoray which we have juſt now mentioned..

Valuable for fecding Minterers. They will alſo be found highly valuable for feeding that ſpecies of ſtock known by the name of Winterers. It is now cuſtomary for all or moſt of the corn-farmers, who make graſs or broad clover a part of their rotation, to purchaſe a certain number of lean cattle about the middle or end of November, for the purpoſe of feeding them upon their paſture the enſuing ſummer. Theſe cattle, which are for the moſt part very lean when they are bought in, are turned into an open and very often a wet yard; left expoſed to every inclemency of the weather during the whole winter, and fed only upon dry ſtraw, ſometimes not of the beſt quality, till the beginning or middle of April; when they are turned out to paſture in a ſituation little better than carrion. The' firſt effect which the grafs has upon them is to produce a purging, which laſts for a fortnight, ſometimes more; this, added to the weak debilitated ſtate they are in when they come from the ſtraw-yard, brings them ſo low, that many of them die, merely from this previous debility and the exceffive evacuation occaſioned by the young graſs. Thoſe who ſurvive, or eſcape this diſeaſe, are generally ſix weeks before they exhibit the leaſt appear- ance of thriving; and even in the moſt favourable caſes, the ſeaſon is very far advanced before they can be properly fattened.

In this way the prime of the graſs(in place of being employed in feed- ing healthy well-conditioned cattle, which might be ready for the market in May or the beginning of June) is waſted upon a parcel of poor emaciated animals, many of whom it kills at the beginning of the ſeaſon.

Were a contrary method followed; were theſe winterers kept in a dry Yard, ſurrounded by fhades during the winter ſeaſon, and each of them allowed a feed of Yams, or any other potatoes, once a day, in addition to the ſtraw, they would get into good condition during the winter, would be leſs liable to weakneis and purging when put upon the new graſs, and would be ready for the butcher in one-third of the time. Where this prac-

tice is followed, and ſeveral of the Engliſh farmers have already adopted it, they are enabled to turn off three ſets of fat beaſts yearly from their paſ- tures in place of one. Intelligent farmers will readily perceive the reaſon of this difference: The firſt ſet being ſtrong, and in good condition when they are turned out, have no diffculty to contend with; ſuch as ſcouring, weakneſs,&c. they therefore begin to feed from the firſt day they are turned out; and the rich nouriſhing quality of the herbage at that ſeaſons completes their fattening in a very ſhort time: generally in fix or eight