Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/371

P A'S Hence arises that propensity which, HI m,*ny infants, borders on glut- tony ; and wtnch. many weak pa- tents consider as a crite.ririn of per- feS health. To iIk-. same f uitful source, we are inclined to attribute the sickly appearance of most chil- dren and childish adults in the me- tropolis; and refer the uniireju- diced readT to the article Paste. PASTURAGE, or Pasxurk, signilies either the business ot feed- ing tame animals, or such land as is expressly reserved for tiie graz- ing ot cattle. Pasture gromid is, at present, often preferred to corn-land, on account oi the comparatively less labour which it requires ; and, he- cause it is erroneously believed, that the manure dropped by tiie cattle enriches the soil, and thus renders it more protitable, when laid down for grain. — Such land is divided into two classes : 1. jMca dows, w iiich are frequently over- sowed ; and, 2. Uplands, that are considerably more elevated, and consequently dry. The former produce a larger crop of hay than the latter, and do not require to be manured so frequently; but the hay is generally inferior to that ob- tained from the uplands. The flesh of animals fattened on the latter, is much finer and more de- licate than that of such as are fed in rich meadows; the luxuriant herbage of which, remarkably pro- , motes the growth of catde. On the other hand, dry pastures are preferable to meadows 5 as they atford food during the winter, and are not so apt to poach on the re- turn of spring : nor are they so li^ -ble to be over-run with weeds,; advantages which amply compeu- Mtc ior the smaiki' crp[>s of hay. P A S [349 Having already pointed oat the protitable nature of headow- land, or that where ikkigatu)!! is prafticable, ua>.!er tho^e respec- tive heads, we shall proceed to state the most eligible metiiods of improvio'.;- upland pasture. The iirst measure to be adopted for tills purpose is, the division of the land into fields, each compris- in.!. four, five, or nu -re acres ; to fence the whole with good ijedges; and to plant timber-trees at proper disiances, in ord-c-r to f-helrer the grass from the boisterous vernal winds. The inclo>ure, however, oug'it not to be too sniail, partica- larly when the hedge- njws are to be }))anted with trees : for, if these be placed too closely togttlier, they will render the grass sour, and thus materially injure the pasture. All weeds, infesting the grourid, must be careful;',' eradicated to- wards the end of summer, pre- viously to their seed-vessels bciiig formed : when sufhciently dry, they ought to be burjit, and their ashes spread on t!:e land before the comnienc-rment of the autumnai ndns ; after which, the surface oi the soil should be levelled, and sown with grass-seed that will ve- getate in the succeeding spring.— Where the surface of the ground is of a cold, clayey nature, it may be improved by pauing and buen- iNG; but, if it be hot and sand v% it will, be necessary tvj apjJv a>nsi- derftble qNantlties of ci'.aik, clay, marie,. or linjc. Every molc-hiU should likewise be pared, burnt, and the ashes immecUaLely scatter^ ed over the land j tlumgii it wiii • be advis:ible to sow the bare spots .with grass-seeds, shortly LK:foie the rains of autumn. : Tiie next operation is that of le- 'elluig