IN SCOTLAND.

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rale. When the flock is to be collected and assorted, no-thing can be more difficult and harassing to the farmer, thanto conduct the various operations necessary on such occa-sions, if without the convenience of inclosures ; and this dif-ficulty is much increased, when these operations have to beeffected in bad weather, after much labour and delay in col-lecting the sheep.

The strong, active and healthy individuals of a sheep-flock,may possibly become tolerably fat on the common pasture.But those which it is the chief object of the farmer to fatten,such as the drafts or culls of his flocks, have little chanceof becoming so, unless removed to superior pasture; andwhen obliged to be sold in low condition, their worth is verysmall. It is also an object of great importance, to be ableto preserve and cherish the weak ewes and lambs of the flock,during severe weather in April or May. Yet all these im-portant objects cannot be attained, unless by the assistance ofinclosures. Neither, without these, can the farmer ever at-tempt to obviate or prevent the baneful effects of fatal dis-tempers ; to improve the breed or character of his flock; orto maintain his sheep during hard weather, when they areunable to dig through the frozen snow r for subsistence; or toprotect them from general destruction, during snow drifts orheavy storms, in a farm which is entirely open.

For these obvious reasons, every sheep farm that is capa-ble of being so accommodated, ought to possess several inclo-sures, or grass fields, well fenced with strong walls, construct-ed in the most effectual and approved style, and having theconvenience of water. Some recommend that one of thesefields, of considerable size, should contain rich old grass;another either irrigated land, or cultivated grasses, for earlyand rich pasture; and that in different places the farm oughtalso to possess effective shelter for the sheep in bad weather,with good grass well sheltered, for the sheep in the end ofspring; also well arranged plantations, for effectually pro-