234 State Board of Agkiculturk, &c. 



iiiiT than to the amount the animal will brinu' in the market : 

 that is, the animal that will l)ring the highest price in the 

 market on account of size and weight, maj not pay as much^ 

 on the food consumed, as one of a small or medium size. 

 Early maturity is another essential quality. When sheep 

 are bred for the carcass, the sooner they become fat, the 

 sooner they return the price of their food with ])rofit, to 

 the feeder ; and, as a general rule, witli greater profit for 

 the food consumed. 



Regularity in Feeding. — Sheep are good time-keepers.. 

 They know the very moment their food sliould be supplieii, 

 and are disappointed if it does not come. The sheep-feeder, 

 therefore, should see that regularity and promptness pre- 

 vail in the cai'e and management of his stock. I know 

 from experience that, when one has a new'spaper or l)Ook 

 in hand, in which he is interested, and is in warm ( piarters 

 by the fireplace, he is very apt to let a half -hour or an hour 

 pass, while his sheep are hungering for their food. Sheep 

 should have daylight to eat by. 



I would feed hay but twice a day, feeding not earlier than 

 eight in the morning, and at two o'clock in the aftei-noon, 

 the first half of the winter, and at seven and three o'clock 

 the last half, giving grain about eleven o'clock. At each 

 of these hours, the sheep will be looking for their feed, and 

 if, for any cause, it be delayed one or two Iiours, they will 

 be watching and restless ; and if, for some cause, it is given 

 one or two hours earlier than usual, for several days after- 

 wards they will get ready for their feed at an early hour, 

 and wait impatiently until it is given them. One and the 



