SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 6S3 



Where land is fenced, sheep and lambs may be used with much effec- 

 tiveness in preventing such weeds from going to seed. Lambs are con- 

 sidered preferable to old sheep because they do not soon learn to molest 

 the corn, which in some instances old sheep do and when they do of 

 course they have to be removed. But under some conditions both sheep 

 and lambs can be used wnth decided advantage in doing such work, espec- 

 ially when the variety of corn grown is tall and stands up well. 



The plan of turning lambs into such field at weaning time is an ex- 

 cellent one. They should of course be turned in while the weeds are yet 

 young and tender. They will then crop them down and in doing so will 

 render the most munificent service to the field. They will also crop off 

 the lower leaves of the corn and in this way will obtain much food with- 

 out probably doing any harm to the corn. The shade furnished by the 

 corn at that season of the year when the weather is usually hot will be 

 good for the lambs. 



v^'fien lambs newly weaned are turned into such fields it may be 

 necessary to supplement the food given to them. It probably will bo 

 necessary. The weeds grow much in the shade and in consequence will 

 be more insipid than when they grow in bright sunshine. Even when 

 newly weaned lambs are turned in to graze on good pasture, they should 

 as a rule De given a supplement of grain. When they pasture amid corn, 

 if thus fed, the lambs will not only be directly benefitted, but the fertility 

 added to the land, or some of it, will be proportionately helpful. 



In some instances, however, it is not practicable thus to pasture 

 lambs amid the corn crop. If the variety grown is short, they would soon . 

 learn to eat the tassels and ears. If wind has blown over the corn, or 

 some of it, the same result would follow. If the corn is wanted for 

 silage or fodder it is so far objectionable to have the leaves stripped off 

 by the lambs for some distance up the stalks. And in wet weather it 

 would be detrimental to the lambs and to the ground to graze sheep or 

 lambs thus. 



The plan should be a good one that grazed lambs thus amid corn 

 and gave them access at the same time to a field of rape. When not 

 grazing on the rape they would seek the shade and the cool soil beneath 

 the corn. They would also roam occasionally all through the corn field 

 in search of weeds, or weed seeds, with the result that the corn would 

 be benefited while the lambs were growing fat. 



One of the most difficult weeds to prevent from going to seed in corn 

 is what is known by the various names of foxtail, summer grass and 

 pigeon grass. It will spring up in corn after the latter is laid by for 

 the season, and under favorable conditions will be in head in four or 

 five weeks after it reaches the surface of the ground. At that season it 

 is not usually so succulent as in the month of June, hence unless lambs 

 have access to it, while not yet headed out, it becomes so woody that they 

 do not take kindly to it. 



Some farmers, but not many, thus call in the aid of sheep and lambs 

 to glean weeds amid the corn. Why is the practice not much more com- 

 mon than it is? Of course the want of fences is one obstacle in the way 

 on a majority of the farms in grain growing areas, and the relative 



