OF SCOTLAND.

56 l

When fed by sheep, in the place of their growth, the tur-nips are lotted off by means of flakes or hurdles, or by sheep-nets fastened to stakes, that they may be regularly consumed.When the first allowance is nearly eaten up, the bottoms orshells are picked out of the ground, by means of a two prong-ed blunt hook adapted for the purpose, that no part may belost. An additional portion of the field is then given, byshifting the hurdles or nets, and the whole field is thus regu-larly gone over; always leaving the cleared part of the fieldopen, as a dry bed for the sheep.

In the expenditure of turnips to young cattle, especiallycalves, and to hogs or young sheep in the first year of theirage, towards spring, when the loosening and coming out oftheir teeth render them unable to bite the hard roots, it iscustomary to cut or slice the turnips, either by means of aspade or chopping knife, or by an implement constructed forthe purpose, called a turnip-cutter; or they are sometimesbruised hy means of a heavy wooden mallet.

During severe frosts, turnips become so hard, that noanimal is able to bite them. The best remedy in this case,is to lay the turnips for some time in running water, whicheffectually thaws them ; or, in close feeding houses, the tur-nips intended for next day’s use may be stored up over night,in one end of the building, and the warmth from the animalswill thaw them sufficiently before morning. It is advisableindeed to lay up a sufficient quantity before Christmas , toserve during any severe frost that may reasonably be expect-ed to happen before March sets in. Without this precaution,,feeding cannot be relied on, unless potatoes are stored.

It is difficult to estimate the expence of hurdling; becauseevery farmer who has occasion for that accommodation, has acomplete set of hurdles, or nets, or both to serve his purpose jand these, with proper care, will last a long time. Two hun-dred sheep flakes or hurdles, made somewhat like gates, of fo-reign fir, having four rails each, with pins, stobs and ranees,for securing them, may cost about sixty pounds, and will last

VOL. i. 2 N