54 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



I do not like it. It has been twenty years since I have used 

 any kind of a sheep rack. I feed in winter on clean snow. 

 I feed between times on the clean ground. In feeding grain 

 I know a great many people use a trough ordinarily, but if you 

 have a clean piece of ground, where it can be scattered, they 

 will pick up every kernel of it. I should feed whole grain, if 

 I had to buy grain. Now, it is a difficult thing for a man to 

 handle, if he doesn't know how to feed without a feed rack, 

 but he soon gets onto it, and I believe after a man has 

 become accustomed to using the other way he will like it 

 better. Just let me illustrate that a little to you ; we will 

 say here is our sheep pen at the barnyard. It is simple enough. 

 Commence near the pen and feed on the clean snow. Do not 

 feed on the dirty snow, but shake it along the edge of the clean 

 snow. Of course, they will gradually trample it down and the 

 snow will become dirty, but all you have to do is to extend your 

 circle. Just keep feeding along on the edge of the clean snow. 

 Then when the next storm comes go back to the shed again. 

 You can always feed on the clean snow, and there is no way in 

 the world that you can get so much feed into sheep as by feeding 

 over the clean snow and giving them an opportunity to gather 

 it up. Never allow them to leave any. Do not feed them a 

 lot of herd's grass hay or timothy, or whatever you call it here. 

 Do not feed them a lot of that kind of stuff that they cannot 

 eat. If you do it will be wasted. Feed it to them gradually, 

 and give it to them in such quantities that they will clean it all 

 up. Make them eat it up clean. In feeding chopped corn- 

 stalks and feeds of that character, apply the same principle. 

 Do not allow them to leave a single piece. Make them eat it all 

 up clean. It takes a little experience and judgment to start 

 off with, but if you are careful you can soon gauge the amount 

 of feed which they need, and by feeding on the clean snow, 

 and on the ground, there need be no waste whatever, and in 

 doing it you can make }our sheep thrive much better than you 

 can if you use a rack. I think that sheep ought to have some 

 food of that kind, of course. I give them clover. Clover hay 

 is the best hay, but any mixed hay is all right for hay. Also, 

 any sort of weeds is all right for sheep, and they will make bet- 

 ter mutton on it than they will on finer grades of feed. Sheep 

 need water. That is, they require moisture. If they cannot 

 get any moisture it affects them quicker than any other animal. 



