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392 Obſervations on Rowen and Sheep Huſbandry.“[June
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very apparent. For this reaſon I confine thé conſumption prin- cipally to the ſupport of ſheep, unleſs it may be‘on a field un- commonly dry, or in a favourable ſeaſon when the milch cows are admitted to the after-graſs..
I conceive ſome advantage might reſult from Mr. Lawrence?s propoled practice, where, tor particular reaſons, ſheep were not conſidered ¿s an eligible ſtock, care ſhould however be taken leit the horſe and cart ſhould poach the ground, and for this purpoſe the ſmall three-wheel carts would be moſt uſeful; This points out the importance ot a central gravelled road through a large farm; this[ enjoy myſelf‘on my own eſtate, and thereíore I can(peak from experience of its beuefit, The cartage of dung for want. of this, is generally confined to dry or froſty weather; whereas, in dry weather, the plough ſhould be kept going, and in froſty weather-the team ſhould be employed in carrying ma- nure along the public roads. With the above proviſion dung might eaſily in wet weather be carted to the headlands to be mixed with ſoil and ditch earth for future uſe. By this means turnips might occaſionally be carted off, where the ſeaſon proved too wet foc con'uming them, without injury on the Jand. But this I acknowledge is only pradticable where g.avel is near at hand.
W here turnips begin to rot, which 1s frequently the caſe in wet weather, or when the froſt has been ſevere, they have ſome- times proved a very unwholeſome food to ſheep. Rowen is not attended with thisfinconveniency. The milk of ewes, when kept on this food, 1s of a more nutritive and healthful quality to the-tender lambs than what turnips, even in a ſound fate,‘can afford.
Having this ſpring two hundred ſheep, and a hundred and forty lambs, I found in Rowen a very(uficient ſupply, as they had no alißance from either turnips.or hay. In the neighbourhood of London it is the practice to ſhut up the meadows very. early, but I fad the feed of ſo much advantage to my ſheep, that I always keen my meadows open later than my neighbours. On light or gravelly lands, which are liable to burn, it is of ipportance that Lhe sround ſhould be ſhaded as tarly as poſſible; bút on ſtrong or loamy lad, I have not. found an attention to thiScircumſtance néceil:ry. L do not apprehend, that the blade is retarded in its growth, by being depaltured and manured by ſheep in its early and ſucculent tace, when, though the grads is tender, yet vegetation is vigorous and ative,
Ï am much miſtaken if I have not ſegna much more nutri- tive and profitable crop from land thus grazed every ſpring-be- fore being‘ihut up, than where the manucring has been more ample, the mowing conflant, and Ineep withdrawn eazly in the ſeaſon, I can venture to-aſlert/ from my own Expérience, that
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