West Riding we made repeated inquiries whether any such prac tice prevailed in that district; the result of which were, it was only done by a few cow-keepers in towns, who had little or no land. By a letter, received since our return from Mr. Stockdale, at Knaresborough, we were informed that this practice was common at Leeds. We therefore wrote to a gentleman there, desiring him to inquire if it was found beneficial. The following is a copy of his answer.

SIR,

Leeds, Jan. 15, 1794.

There are a few cows kept in the house all summer, and the way in which they are managed, is by giving them grass fresh cut, and watering the ground as the grass comes off, with the urine from the cows. The urine is preserved by a cistern placed on the outside of the cow house, and is conveyed to the land at almost all seasons, but the most profitable time for doing it is March, April, and May; by which means, and the addition of horse dung applied during the winter months, the field may be cut 4 or 5 times during the season. I am told 4 acres of land will, in this method, maintain 10 cows; and the winter they are fed with grains from the brewers, which are very high in price, being 3 s. 6d. per quarter. It will take about four pounds worth of grains to maintain a cow for the winter months, and two pounds for grass during the summer: so the expence of a cow for the whole year is about six pounds.

upon turnips and They yielded me

I kept 13 cows one winter, which were fed oat straw, and never got a mouthful of hay. 30 gallons of milk per day, which, six years ago, sold upon the spot, to the retailers from Leeds, at 5 d. per gallon. They carried it a mile, and sold it out at 6 d. and 7 d. per gallon; but it is now advanced to 8 d. and 9 d.

I must notice to you, that the taste of the turnip is easily taken off the milk and butter, by dissolving a little nitre in spring water, which being kept in a bottle, and a small tea-cup full put. among 8 gallons of milk, when warm from the cow, entirely re-moves any taste or flavour of the turnip.

In the management of cows, a warm stable is highly necessary, and the currying them, like horses, not only affords them pleasure, but makes them give their milk more freely. They ought always to be kept clean, laid dry, and have plenty of good sweet water to drink. I have had cows giving me 2 gallons of milk at a meal, when within 10 days of calving, and did not upon trial find any advantage by allowing them to go dry two months before calving. The average of our cows is about 6 gallons per day after quitting the calf,

If this statement affords the Board of Agriculture any information worthy their notice, I will be happy at being the instrument of it; and all I have said is from experience. You have my sincere wish for the laudable work you are engaged in being crowned with success, and I am, &c.

In addition to the above very sensible letter, we may add, that one of us for some years has kept his cows in the house upon red clover and rye grass during the summer months. They are put out to a small park in the evening after milking, for the convenience of getting water, and tied up in the house early in the morning. One acre of clover has been found to go as far in this way, as two when pastured. More milk is produced, and the quantity of rich dung made in this method, is supposed to compensate the additional trouble of cutting and bringing in the grass.

No. I.

ACCOUNT OF THE DIVISION OF THE FOREST OF KNARESBOROUGH.

BY ROBERT STOCKDALE, ESQ.

THE Forest of Knaresborough, till the year 1775, consisted of a great extent of ancient inclosed land, comprized within eleven constableries, or hamlets; to which belonged a tract of upwards of 30,000 acres of common, whereon Knaresborough, and several other towns, not within the eleven constableries, claimed, and had exercised a right of common, and turbary, equally with the owners of property within these eleven constableries. This waste, in its open state, yielded the inhabitants fuel, and pasturage for their sheep, horses, and stock of young cattle; and some opulent yeomanry profited exceedingly thereby; but to the necessitous cottager and indigent farmer, it was productive of more inconvenience than advantage; if not to themselves, at least to the public at large, who was by that means deprived in a great measure of the exertions of the farmer, and the labour of the cottager and their families; for it afforded their families a little milk, yet they would attempt to keep a horse, and a flock of sheep. The first enabled them to stroll about the country in idleness, and the second, in the course of every three or four years, were so reduced by the rot, and other disasters, that upon the whole they yielded no profit.

In 1770, after various struggles, an act was obtained to divide and inclose this extensive waste, and the powers thereof committed to no less than five commissioners, and three surveyors, all or most of them unequal to the undertaking, from whom both great delay and expence were incurred. After four years had elapsed, an amend ment of this act became necessary, which was obtained in 1774. Thereby a sixth commissioner was named, who had been appointed a surveyor by the first act, and who had thought proper to execute his duty by a deputy. In 1775, the commissioners Ka