Husbandry anatomized, or, An enquiry into the present manner of teiling and manuring the ground in Scotland for most part and several rules and measures laid down for the better improvement thereof, in so much that one third part more increase may be had, and yet more than a third part of the expence of the present way of labouring thereof saved / by Ja. Donaldson.

CHAP. V. Concerning Stock-keeping.

THat which will hold two, will hung∣er three; Is a common Proverb in every Bodies Mouth, and yet scarce is there any thing less believed, if we may take Peoples practice to be an interpretation of their Minds, for as I formerly observed through most of this Kingdom all Pastours are over∣laid, and Cattle in a manner starved; That which therefore I would recom∣mend to all Stock-keepers, or others, that keep Cattle, to keep no more, than plentifully they can maintain: I offer to make it appear, two Kine well keep'd, (and consequently o∣ther Beastial) shall yeeld more pro∣fit than six, as commonly they now are keeped.

But I begin with Horses, Those that are for bringing up of Horses, I

would advise, (if their Stock can rea••h it) to provide themselves in what Mares they resolve to keep for brood. Choise them of good shapes, & other good properties, then let the Horse or Stalion be the best that pos∣sibly may be had, the Brood can hardly choose but to resemble the Sire and Dame, and a Foal of a good kind requireth no greater Expence in upbringing, than that of the worst: Therefore what ever the best can be sold at, more than the worst, so much is your profit thereby.

Then let your Mare be served only once in two years, for a Mare that is giving Suck, cannot be in good con∣dition to breed one in her Belly at the same time; And seldom will ye see a Foal brought up, upon the Dame that is with Foal▪ But it is much weaker than that which is brought up on her, wh••n no•• with Foal, beside the Mar••

her self and the Foal in her belly, are both much more weakned, where fore if you would have the Mare, or either of the Foals to thrive, observe as above.

Concerning Kine, I shall not now insist, Because I spoke something of them▪ Chap. 3. I again recom∣mend th••s as a principle that can ne∣ver be enough inculcat, keep what number soever your Ground can man∣tain sufficiently, and no more: Yea let there be rather three wanting of your number of Cattle, then half a soume keep more upon your Grass, than enough.

What is that which makes Cattle in other places, to be more tall and strong, then commonly they are through this Kingdom? But because

they are fed more plentifully, and ••∣specially when they are young to feed well, is a great mean of strengthen∣ing Cattle.

Therefore if you would have your Stock to thriv••, spare not to give your Calves Milk abundance when they are young; Whether you feed them with Milk, or let them suck the Dame, no great matter, they may be well enough either of the wayes, providing you spa••e not Milk: Or if you please to save some of their Milk, then you must supply their Dyet with Broath mixed with the Milk you give them, for Kine that will not give their Milk but to their own Calves, or at least when they are present; I doubt not but they may easily be brought, to give it as kindly, when their Calves are absent, as when present: Providing you use them not to that base Cus∣tome.

When any Cow seems to be fond upon her Calf, let it not suck her at all, and tho she kick or make stir at first when you begin to milk her, yet by tying of her feet, or use∣ing other means to r••strain her from hindering you to milk her, after a short time, she will give her milk peaceably.

The next thing I shall speak off, is concerning making of Butter and Cheese: And to say no worse of it, Our Women generally throughout this Kingdom, kyth as little dexteri∣ty in this, as in any point of Hus∣wife Operations I know; something of the Causes thereof, I shall after∣wards note.

Thô I can say nothing to this point absolutely, as having tryed the Ex∣periment, and found the Effect an∣swerable to my Expectations; Yet I

have discoursed with such as have proven their Knowledge therein in effect, and the Reasons they gave for taking such measures in ordering o•• their Milk, (as in the following Lines) to me seem so plausible, that I doubt not, but we may have as good Butter and Cheese in this King∣dom, by following the like measures, as readily is to be had any where.

But take the account as followeth, in making of Butter: Take what Milk you have of your kine at one Mai••, and put it in a Churn or other Ves••e•• by itself after it is well strained, let it stand in some cold place twenty four hours, or thereabout; If you have as much of it as filleth yo•••• Churn, then may you churn it, but if you have not so much as fill your Churn, you may keep it till you get another Mail, or two more to put with it, but by no means mix any of

the other Milk with it, until you be just going to churn it, for when hot Milk is poured into that which has stood some time, maketh it to curdle (or as it is commonly termed) sheer, the Cream with some of the grossost substance of the Milk, gathering to the top, it beginneth to sour, and ne∣ver afterward can Butter be made thereof, so good as when it is taken in due Season: To wit, When at first it beginneth to thicken or lapper, For then the Milk hath a very deli∣cious Taste: And on the contrar, when Milk is long gathered, beside the sheering, or curdling above men∣tioned, the Taste altereth much and becomes unpleasant, (to speak no∣thing of wholesomeness in respect I am no competent Judge therein) and in reason, Good Butter cannot be ex∣pected of Milk that is spoiled.

If it be here answered by any,

there is a necessity for gathering of their Milk some considerable time, because all the Quantitie they have at a Mail or two, will not fill their Churn. To which I reply, let them proportion their Churn to their Milk for any quantity whatsoever above a Chopin, may be churned, and if it be less, I think it not worth your pains: But I pass this, and I shall next give you account of the best Information, I have concerning making of Cheese.

That which is generally imputed to be the Cause, why Cheese is not universally good in this Kingdom, is because the Cream is gathered off the Milk, before the Cheese be there∣of made, & indeed in no place where this custom is followed, can the Cheese be good: For as the Proverb is, You cannot sell the Cow, and supp the Milk. Butter and Cheese of the same Milk cannot be reasonably ex∣pected,

without as much loss on the one, as there is Benefit by the o∣ther. That which I suppose may be one chief Cause, why Women take this Method, is because they think little less Butter have they off the Cream, than if they did churn all the Milk together. I cannot positively say which way is most beneficial, but well I wot, Cheese made when the Milk is new and not skum'd, is farr better than that which is made of Milk that is skum'd, and I suppose it is also more Beneficial. And I am also sure (let them take what Me∣thod they please in ordering of their Milk) that a greater quantity of it can be had of two Kyne well fed, than of three; Yea, I may say six that are not well fed, which is the chief thing I insist on.

What the particular quantity of Butter or Cheese that commonly is

made of each Milk-cow, I cannot posi∣tively declare (but as I remember) when I was in Ireland, I have heard some say, that these who kept Derries, commonly make a Firkin of Butter of each Cow (which is about fourty pounds of our weight) beside a Calf brought up on every two Kyne each year: And these that make Cheese, double the quantity.

I need not here trouble my Reader, in telling the necessity of kepping clean Vessel, and careful straining of the Milk, it being a thing known to any body of Common Sense. The special thing required in making of Cheese, is to take the Milk when it is fresh and new, and thicken it with∣out taking off any of the Cream; And be sure the Thickening or Yearning (as it is termed) be also fresh and good, there is little other difficulty in mak∣ing of good Cheese.

Now we come to speak of Sheep, the universal Usefulness of this Ani∣mal, is so well known, that it is al∣together needless to speak to its Commendation, for as it is (I think, I may say without exception) the most useful Animal in the whole Universe; So are She••p the most be∣neficial kind of Stock, bringing most Profit to the Owner, for not only do they multiply faster than other Cattle, in coming near to their full Stature in a years time, but also the flesh of them are as wholesome and delicious Food, as perhaps any other whatso∣ever. But especially, beside all that is yet said, every year they yeeld their Fleeces, which is in some re∣spect the most considerable of all, for without them we might be supplyed in Food, but in Cloathing, I know no•• how Men can be other wayes pro∣vided.

But that you may the more parti∣cularly

see what Profit can be made of them, I shall suppose a Farmer to possess a Room or Mailen of a certain Bounds, and as we did that Mailen of Dale Ground, first enquire into the present Profit commonly made that way; And next, what Profit may be made by taking another course, so shall I now do in this Case. We need not be inquisitive into the Exact Bounds, nor Rent o•• the said Mailen, that being supposed to be alike in both Cases. All that we make more by following this new Method, than what was made formerly, is free pro∣fit, providing the charge of Servants and other Expence, be alike.

Now, I suppose a Mailen to con∣tain a mile of Ground Square, which is about 800 Aikers, where the Ground lyeth level; But because the most of Sheep Pasture is Hilly and Mountainous, (the same Circumfer∣ence

can contain more) I may sup∣pose it therefore to contain a thousand Aikers at least, on which we shall reckon 4000 or 4500 Sheep may be keeped.

Now I shall suppose on this Mailen above men••ioned, there is keeped 4000 Sheep, and 40 or 50 Kyne; the Profit of the Kyne I shall not now speak of, having spoken concerning that kind of Cattle already. Of this 4000 Sheep, I suppose 2000 Ewes, Reckoning these of a year old into the number; Of these 2000 Ewes, I suppose sixteen or seventeen hunderd Lambs to be produced every year, one half Male, and the other Female; Two hundered of which I suppose he may sell in Lambs, at 12 Shilling a peece, which is 120 pounds; An 100 or a 150 I suppose may die in Gelding, and otherwayes while t••ey are young; One thousand four hundered

I suppose to remain till Hallowday, but because in many places, not only are the Lambs (as well as old Sheep) fed on bare Pasture, but also in ma∣ny places, the Lambs are wained per∣haps before they be a moneth or six Weeks old, whereby they are keep∣ed in a lean Condition; And Winter approaching, the natural growth of Grass failing, and no other Pasture ordinarly is provided ••or them in Winter, but that whereon they fed in Summer. Any person may judge how they can subsist, especially in great Storms of Frost and Snow, when for a moneth together perhaps, the whole Fields and Hills whereon they were wont to feed, are totaly cover∣ed; It is rare to see a Stock of Sheep keeped after this manner, but one sixth part of them dieth every Winter; But I shall suppose only of this Stock, four hundered to be lost that way, which is scarce one tenth part. But

before Winter, I shall allow a 1000 of the said Sheep to be sold at half a Crown, or three Shillings Starling a peece. Now, suppose a 1000 Sheep to be sold at one pound 16 shilling a peece, is 1800 pounds, the Woole of all the 4000 Sheep, and 1400 Lambs, I suppose may be reckoned at one pound a peece, which cannot be valued above six pounds the Stone, good and bad over head, this in all maketh 345 Stones, which in Mo∣ney extends to the Summ of 2070 pounds; This with the 1800 he got for his thousand Sheep, and the 120 received for his Lambs, makes in all 3990 pounds. For any other In∣crease had on this Room, viz: What profit is made of his other Cattle, and the Milk of his Sheep, for Brevi••ys sake, I shall pass without enquiring into, and for these shall allow a great∣er Summ than reasonably they can be re••koned to. The Expence of Ser∣vants

keeping, and Butter and Tar•• for his Sheep, I shall not reckon upon▪ But foregainst that Account, I shall lay the Expence of keeping Servants for attending on the Cattle only, to be kept upon this Mailen, as I would have it Stocked (which certainly must be less, because the Cattle, ac∣cording to my way of Stocking are fewer) what Servants are keeped for lab••uring the Ground, shall have Wages allowed them, off the pro∣duct of their own handy labour.

I shall now proceed to show how I would have this Room stocked, and improven, For the four thousand Sheep keeped thereon, I demand no more but only two thousand five hundred to be keeped, their in∣crease I shall reckon proportionabl•• to these formerly mentioned: Seven∣teen hundred was reckoned to be the Product of four thousand, ••nd see∣ing

thir last has a third more pasture it cannot be doubted but they may be in a better condition, & consequent∣ly may be more fruitful: However, as is said, I shall reckon their Increase only proportionable to these above mentioned, viz: 1062, for accord∣ing to the Rule of Proportian, if 4000 yeeld 1700, 2500 yeeldeth 1062, the 62 I discount for Lambs that die while young; For all of the said 2500 Sheep, and 1000 Lambs, I would have Hutts builded, and make them so large, that they may have suffici∣ent Room to ly at ease, and have room to breath, for too much heat may do them hurt; Wherefore little holes or windows in the Walls, will be very convenient, if it were not to preserve them from Rain: And for the benefite of their dung, they need∣ed not to be put in any house at all, but their dung (as I shall instantly take notice of) is almost as material

a peece of benefite as any one profite had by them.

Next I would have about two hundred Aikers of the said Pasture inclosed, and not suffer a beast there∣on to set its foot, till after Hallowday; Then I make about some thirty Aik∣ers in Meadow: And because some may object that this will be the most difficult Task of all, because of the natural barrenness of the Ground; I shall answer to this by and by: But first I would have an hundred and twenty Aikers more laid by for Cro••t, and this may seem another Mystery: But I say again if it be not so mountainous, that it cannot be plewed, it may be made very fertile.

Six or seven score Aikers I appoint for Croft, but if it cannot be plewed at all, I gather the dung nevertheless, and therewith manure the Grass: But

I suppose an hundred Aikers or two of the bounds foresaid to be arable, which may be ordered after this sort.

The Sheep you heard, are to be put in Coats every Night in Winter, and even in Summer also, if they be no•• put in folds, thir Sheep being well bedded or litter'd (for that must by no means be neglected) every one of them including Lambs, will make a Cart load of dung each year, which I value at fourteen shilling each Cart load, as you shall afterward hear. This three thousand ••ive hund∣red Carts of dung; will sufficiently dung thirty five Aikers, at five score Cart load per Aiker. But because this Ground is naturally cold, I shall al∣low six score to each Aiker, which is no worse than nine score common dung, the whole dung according to this Reckoning, serveth thirty Aik∣ers, the strength of which will re∣main

good four years: So by this Sheep dung, six score Aikers is keep∣ed in Manure, each Aiker of which I doubt nothing off, but it may bear ten Bolls per annum: But that I may remove all ground of Objections a∣against the fertility of this six score Aikers of Croft or Corn Land, let the dung of the rest of the Cattle, To wit. A dozen Horses, or Oxen that perform the Labour, and forty or fifty Nolt, be added to the said Sheep dung abovementioned, I am sure no better dunged ground can be required, neither for all this shall I reckon the Product of each Aiker a∣bove 7 Bolls, seven times six score is eight hundred and fourty Bolls, less than an hundred Bolls will serve for seed, observing the Rules given Chap: 3. And fourty eight Bolls for Horse Meat, according to that Cal∣culation. Six men are keeped to la∣bour this Ground, beside what are

needed for other Uses) whose Man∣tainance I shall not reckon) laying that aside, foregainst the Servants that were required to wait upon the Cattle, when this Mailen was man∣naged as above, an hundred Bolls will therefore be sufficient for both Meat and Wages to these six Men, An hundred Bolls for seed, fourty eight for Horses; and this hundred makes in all two hundred and fourty eight, which being deduced from 840 Bolls, five hundred and ninty two still remain, which being reckoned at five pound per Boll, is two thousand nine hundred 60 pounds, But because nothing is yet allowed for sheering and reaping this Corn, let two hundred pound go to defray that Charge.

Thirty Aikers, as I formerly said▪ I would have made in Meadow or Hay, for preserving the Sheep in a

Storm, and not to go through every particular, and show how much Hay may be made on each Aiker, and how many Sheep may eat a Stone or Load of Hay at a Meal; I say, not to trouble my Reader in survey∣ing every particular, I suppose it will not be questioned, but this quantity of Hay may serve this Stock of Sheep, in cases o•• extream necessity, when their Pasture are covered with Snow, or if they be in a great strait, they may be supplyed with Corn-sheaves. The way I make this Meadow, or Park (if there be none natural upon the Ground) is by sowing several Aikers of the Corn-ground with Cloa∣ver, or Grass-seed, when it has born several Crops after its dunging, & rea∣dy to be dunged again, sow it with Cloaver, as is said, after the Corn is thereon sowen, and the Land made as smoth as possible. I say, about eight days after the Corn is sowen,

sow this Seed upon the Ground, and fill your Harrow with Thorns, so that the Teeth thereof go not into the Ground, least thereby the Mould be raised too high above the Grass∣seed; The Thorns being well tyed into the Harrow, it smootheth a thin Mould over the Seed: So that year you have your Crop of Corn, as if nothing else were upon the Ground. And next year, the Cloaver and Grass grow up plentifully, so that two or three times it may be cut down or moven; Thus are your Hay Parks made.

But if your Ground be so Moun∣tainous, that it cannot be ploughed, nevertheless it may be made Hay, ei∣ther by laying Dung upon the Grass, or by folding your Sheep or other Cattle, on the place you intend to make in Hay: And after it is pudled and dunged by the feet and dung of

your Beastial, sow it with the said Seeds, and Harrow it as above.

Let this Hay be given to your Sheep in time of Storme, as is said; But first provide Racks to lay it in, for if you throw it down among their feet, they will loss a great part of it, by trampling it amongst their Dung; Some place their Racks in the middle of their Sheep Coats. But this I do not commend, for if the Rack be placed so low, that the Sheep can conveniently eat out thereof, then the Woole is torn off their backs, by going through beneath it; To have them placed upon the Wall, I judge more convenient.

The 200 Aikers that was appoint∣ed to be hained all Summer, let your Sheep be put on it in November, or as soon as your other pasture grows bare. By this prudent providing for

Food to your Sheep in Winter, I doubt not but it may granted, that Sheep keeped after this manner, will be much stronger and more healthie, than those keeped as was formerly supposed; And consequently, their Lambs cannot but be fatter and lar∣ger, for how can it be supposed, that a Ewe lying among Frost and Snow all Winter at the point of starving can in the Spring bring forth a Lamb in a good Condition? Therefore we may reckon Lambs of Sheep, keep∣ed after this latter manner, one third better than those keeped as above.

I question nothing but their Wool may be as much improven as them∣selves; My reason for it is this, when other Beasts are fat and in a good Condition, their Hair is v••sibly much softer and smoother; Look but to any Horse that is well fed and keeped, and to a labouring Horse that is sore

wrought and ill fed, and you will see what difference is betwixt them, and so of all other Beasts. And seeing Wool is the Hair that groweth on this Animal, Why should it not Im∣prove as much as that of others? I doubt nothing, if Sheep were fed as plentifully in this Countrey (as easily they may be, as is shewed above) but their Wool may be made as good, as readily is had any where else.

Now let us see what may be year∣ly made of those 2500 Sheep, you know 1000 Lambs was supposed to be had of them every year, beside those dying young; A 100 let be sold in April or May, at 18 Shilling a peece, which is 90 pound; Four hunder of the oldest and weakest, let be sold at Hallowday, for two pounds, is 80 pounds; Four hunder let be keepe up••n your best hained Grass, which

may be sold I suppose at 5 pound a peece, betwixt Candlemas and May, is 200 pound, proportionable to their Number.

Their Wool may also be reckon∣ed more in quantity, than these that are badly fed, for not only is the Wool best on fat Sheep, but it is much thicker and longer also. I sup∣pose therefore this three hundered and fiftie Sheep and Lamb; may not only have as many pounds of Woole, but even one Quarter of a pound a peece more, which maketh in all, four thousand three hundered and seventy five pounds of Wool, which is two hundered and seventy five Stone, seven pounds, reckon this at nine pounds per Stone, is two thou∣sand four hundered and fiftie seven pounds in Money.

The Product of this Mailen, Stock∣ed

and Ordered as above represented, after the Expence of Seed and Labour∣ing the manured Land, is deduced, as follows,

Imprimis, Corn worth	2960	00	00
Lambs worth	0090	00	00
Sheep sold in Autumn	0800	00	00
Sheep sold in the Spring	1600	00	00
Wool to the Value of	2457	00	00
Summa,	4907	00	00

The Product of the Mailen, as in the first Description is,

Imprimis, Lambs	0120	00	00
Wool	2070	00	00
Sheep	1800	00	00
Summa,	4890	00	00

This 4890 pounds deduced from 7907, there remains 3037, so much more Increase is there by managing this Mailen, as I have above demon∣strated

(except 200 pound, to be de∣duced for Shearers Wages, and what profit is alleadged to be made of Ewes Milk) than was made of it ac∣cording to the first way of Manag∣ing thereof: And call that what y•• please, the Profit is considerable still.