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Vol. I.
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276
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276

ON INCLOSING land

formation and upholding of the fences, or improper manage-ment of the inclosed live-stock or growing crops; by meansof which defects, all inclosures may be rendered compara-tively worthless. If, however, the abuse of any thing wereto become an argument against its usefulness, no circum-stance whatever, in the economy of any country, could escapethis mode of objection. It is from the aggregate of all theadvantages derivable from judiciously planned-, well con-structed, and well managed inclosures and fences,, that far-mers are enabled,, at the same time, to pay more liberalrents, to advance the value of their live-stocks and crops,and finally to augment their own individual profits. Ofthese advantages we propose to take a rapid view, in theirorder.

In the pasturage of live-stock, the farmer is relieved, bymeans of inclosures, from the very considerable cxpenee ofherding and attendance; which is materially diminished inthe management of sheep, and almost entirely saved in thatof cattle, when the fences are all good. The farmer has it inhis power to arrange his live-stock, according to their age,condition, and other circumstances, by means of his inclo-surcs, without which his management cannot be correct.'Hiis arrangement, especially in sheep-stocks, is often ab-solutely necessary for the preservation of a part, and is al-most always important for the prosperity and improvementof the whole. By means of inclosures, the pasturing stock isprotected from being perpetually teazed, harassed, and in-terrupted in feeding, by dogs or other violence, and is allow-ed in peace to cat up the food upon the pastures to its utmostlimits; and thus it improves much better and faster on thesame extent of land, and of course returns more ample pro-fit to the farmer.

The mere prevention of poaching in wet weather, by thetrampling of cattle when chased by dogs, is an advantage ofno small importance derived from inclosures or fence divi-sions. Even the warmth derived from inclosures to the live-