State Agricultural Society. 465 



straw, with, perhaps, an occasional feed of hay. Late lambs, old ewes, 

 and any that may be thin in flesh, may have hay, and some oats. This 

 is as far as I have ever gone in the way of supplying feed to an ewe 

 flock during housing. 



CROSSING WATER. 



I have laid much stress on the necessity for not running the sheep, or 

 handling them roughly. At this season of the year there will be occa- 

 sions when the tamest sheep try one's patience sorely. It may be need- 

 ful to make them cross water — a position in which they act very stu- 

 pidly. There are several ways of proceeding. If very tame they can 

 often be enticed across by the offer of a bunch of hay or salt. Catching 

 two or three, and tying them on the opposite side of the water will 

 often induce the rest of the flock to yield to your urging. Especially 

 is this plan likely to be useful if an ewe and lamb be thus separated. 

 It is only needful to get the first few started, and the rest will follow. 

 1 have seen two thousand sheep cross in single file on a plank a foot 

 wide. 



REDUCING THE REFRACTORY. 



In hilly country sheep will sometimes get lost in small bands. Should 

 there be only four or five in the party they may become very wild and 

 headstrong. They may even act this way when parted out from some 

 neighbor's band, with which they may have been ranging. Should they 

 prove unmanageable, refusing to travel, or running off from you, the 

 adroit shepherd will practice against them a " string game " quite as 

 effective as that the card sharp plays on the over-confident rustic. Catch 

 the leader, or the whole party of the rebels, and tie around one of the 

 hind legs just above the hock joint, a piece of stout string — not too 

 tight, but so that it will not slip off. This causes the sheep no incon- 

 venience while walking, but it will not run an hundred yards with this 

 simple bracelet. I have never seen any injurious effect from its use. 

 After an exacerbating struggle of several hours with a band of these 

 wildings, when one's better nature has been wrought into deep eclipse, 

 and vengeful and slaughterous sentiments hold sway, I know nothing 

 that brings upon the soul so deep a peace, or causes the moral sunshine 

 to burst forth more ardently, than the view of those fractious sheep 

 now pacing quietly along with wrath in their hearts, but spirits hope- 

 lessly broken. Occasionally one will have a single ewe in a band that 

 ought not to be too large for one man's management anywhere, who 

 will make more work than all the rest. She needs the simple lesson of 

 the string. 



WATER. 



In the Spring of the year, when grass is quite young and green, and 

 the night dews heavy, sheep will drink but little water, and in fields 

 where they are confined on this kind of feed I have known them to do 

 quite well for several weeks after all surface water had been dried up. 

 This fact has led some to suppose that water is a secondary affair on a 

 sheep range; but watch a flock on the hot plains, or in the baking 

 mountain valleys, during Summer, and observe how systematically they 

 work to water, and the obvious effects of a square drink on the spirits 

 and condition of a flock, and, 1 think, the observer will conclude that 



59_(agri) 



