1905.] SHEEP. 53 



about twenty-five sheep around his barnyard they will get 

 kicked and knocked around by the other stock, and compara- 

 tively little attention is paid to them. But even then there is 

 usually a corner into which they can escape, and they will be 

 fairly successful. If, however, he has a large flock he will pay 

 more attention to them, proportionately, and he will make more 

 money. There is this to remember, however. A man ought 

 not to think that he can keep a hundred sheep in a space 

 adapted for twenty-five. That, of course, is modified by the 

 circumstances and care which may be bestowed on the flock. 

 It is quite frequently the case that a large number of sheep can 

 be kept upon a small area of land, and be kept there profitably. 

 It is not an unusual thing at all, in places where intensive farm- 

 ing is carried on, for twelve hundred ewes to be kept in one 

 flock on a comparatively small area. And the fact is you can 

 do better with them because you can afford to have a man with 

 the flock all the time and have them carefully watched and 

 taken care of. In fact the best sheep I have ever seen were in 

 large flocks. Do not be afraid, therefore, if your circumstances 

 are such that you want to go into extensive sheep breeding, do 

 not be afraid of a big flock, but use your multiplication table 

 when you provide quarters for them. If you have ten sheep 

 to feed you should provide trough room for twenty sheep. 

 They will do enough better to pay for it. As I said before, 

 sheep do not know very much. While there may be room 

 enough for the whole ten at a trough built for ten, yet one will 

 persist in crowding others out, and some will get too much and 

 others will not get enough. . They do not know any better. 

 They will crowd into one corner, or into one particular place at 

 the trough, and pretty soon some of the sheep will get discour- 

 aged and will not get up to the trough to get their share. 

 When you go into the sheep business you should have sufficient 

 trough space, so that when a sheep is crowded out of one trough 

 it can turn around and go into another. So, if you have room 

 for twenty, while you do not have but ten sheep, you can make 

 sure that all can get their share. I think, therefore, it is a good 

 rule to lay down, that you should provide just about double the 

 trough space. If you have ten sheep, provide room for twenty. 

 If you have a thousand sheep you should provide trough room 

 for two thousand. Keep up that ratio and you will be all right. 

 There is another thing : I never would feed in a sheep rack. 



