592 ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



of a barb wire fence for protection from winter blasts and driving 

 storms. Provide a shed for them. A shed 16 by 24 will house 

 nicely from 25 to 30 sheep. The house or shed should be located 

 upon high ground and use "Mother Earth" to constitute the floor. 

 Such a floor well bedded with dry straw is ideal for sheep. The 

 sides under the eaves need not be over 4 feet in height and make 

 it 10 feet at the ridge. Provide a good, sound roof, for a leaky 

 covering is a source of much discomfort to sleep. The shed should be 

 well lighted by glazed windows at each end of the building. These can 

 be open in close weather to allow ventilation. The windows should 

 be placed high enough so no draught will strike the sheep. 



The pasture should be changed often, for placing the flock upon 

 fresh pasture at short intervals tends to keep the pasture free from 

 parasites. It is a wise plan to provide two or more pastures and 

 use these pastures alternately for sheep and cattle or sheep and 

 horses. For the pasture you should select high, dry and slightly 

 rolling land, and it should contain a liberal supply of shade trees. 

 Shade is a necessity for the flock during the heated term of the 

 summer; if possible have some running water. After horses and 

 cattle have grazed a pasture over for a few weeks it will be again 

 safe for the sheep. Clover should enter largely into the pasture 

 grasses, provide rape patches for the late summer and fall pasturage 

 also let your flock pick over the meadow after haying and stubble 

 fields after harvest. All such pasture changes give the sheep a 

 variety. Pasturing the flock on this plan keeps them in perfect 

 health. While sheep are not extravagant eaters, yet they should 

 not be compelled to forage all the year round and do not compel 

 them to subsist on one diet alone. A change is good for them the 

 same as for man. Clover hay is an ideal roughage for them and 

 corn stover is good but roots, beets or turnips go well with the latter 

 as a neutralizer, and an occasional feed of bran will also tone up the 

 system where roughage is scarce. Oats perhaps is the best grain 

 feed. As the lambing season approaches the grain ration should be 

 increased. Have the ewes in good thrifty condition and there will 

 be less loss of lambs, and if roots are fed they have a tendency to 

 increase the flow of milk. Tf the lambs are weak or the ewe has no 

 milk, feed cow's milk till they are able to take care of themselves. 

 Sometimes a ewe will not own her lamb. Be around and keep a 

 grasp on the situation. It is the little details that count for success 

 or failure. 



A Member: What about stomach worms? 



MR. STONE : I should not think there would be much trouble with 

 stomach worms on your hillsides. These stomach worms are almost, 

 if not quite, as troublesome as the flocks themselves. Hillsides are 

 what make sheep, and T do not see why Pennsylvania, with all her 

 hills, is not one of the greatest sheen states of the Union. 



T want to say that the reason we should have horses and sheep is, 

 that the rough grass of the pastures can be utilized by the horse, and 

 the sheep will still have enough. They like the new, tender grass, 

 but they do not thrive well on bluegrass. Clover is the grass they 

 want, and yet we hear that clover is one of the most detrimental 

 thino-s we can raise, because it takes a fertile soil. But I think we 

 will have to go on with the sheep, only don't come to me because I 

 can't supply you. 



