236 State Board of Agricultuke, &c. 



and they are very particular in regard to their food beiui;- 

 clean. Feeding troughs should ])e placed where the sheep 

 cannot jump over or step into tht'ui. A speck of dirt, if 

 no larger than a pea, falling into the trough from asheej)'s 

 foot, or a ilock of poultry getting into the trough an<l 

 leaving their tracks or droppings, will prevent the sheep 

 fi'om eating their food. 



In conclusion, I would say that I do not claim great 

 protit can l)e made by feeding sheep, but, in many sections 

 of Vermont, the hay crop is a protitable one, perhaps the 

 most profittable of any produced ; and some of this hay can 

 be fed to produce mutton, and return to the feeder its cash 

 value, and thus enable him to retain the manurial value of 

 the hay to ke&p up the fertility of the land, instead of run- 

 ning it out by selling the hay before feeding it. 



