Sheep in New York Staite 1811 



tered ewes a flock of pure breds will finally be obtained at a 

 small cash outlay. The increase from such may be sold as 

 breeders for at least twice that which the grades will bring for 

 mutton. 



feed and care 



If the pasture is scanty, Dwarf Essex Rape may be sown in the 

 early spring at the rate of two pounds to the acre to which the sheep 

 or lambs can have access during the summer ; or, if sowed in Au- 

 gust, will afford splendid feed until the ground is covered witli 

 snow. .Sheep should never be turned on rape when they are empty 

 or when it is wet, since it will likely produce bloat. It is poor 

 economy to leave the sheep on the pastures — worse still the mead- 

 ows — in late November or December after the grass is frozen. 

 They will fill themselves with it but it contains very little nutri- 

 ment. With full stomachs they will be drawing on their stored-up 

 flesh and more feed will be required later to have them in proper 

 condition. Early sowed rye makes an excellent pasture ; if not fed 

 too close it will benefit rather than injure the crop. During win- 

 ter, sheep should have some form of succulence. For this there is 

 nothing cheaper than the ordinary purple top turnip. These can 

 often be grown in the corn, or after early potatoes, and the cost 

 will be little more than the harvesting. Silage is a very close sec- 

 ond. Two bushels to fifty sheep may be fed with great profit. 

 Cabbage is even better. Early cut hay — either clover or mixed 

 grasses — will do much to provide suitable food. Coarse timothy 

 should never be fed. It lacks nutriment and the sharp stalks 

 sometimes penetrate the walls of the stomach. Bright barn-housed 

 straw is more desirable if one is short of coarse fodder. Sheep 

 love a variety. An occasional feed of corn fodder is excellent. 

 Where beans are grown, the pods and smaller stalks make fine for- 

 age for them. 



How much and what sort of grain to feed must be determined by 

 the condition of the sheep and what one intends to do with them. 

 If they come into winter quarters in good flesh and are not to drop 

 their lambs until pasture ; with some form of succulence and clover 

 or alfalfa hay, no grain will be necessary. If they are thin enough 

 grain should be fed to put them in good flesh before lambing. This 

 will materially increase the growth of wool. A sheep poor in flesh 



