248 The Mana/jement of Sheep Stock 



answer well, particularly on limestone soils, where the surface 

 often becomes dirty in moist weather. In a sheltered corner 

 of the turnip-field, a straw-yard is constructed with hurdles. 

 When portable steam-thrashing machinery is employed, it 

 will save labour if we put a good barley or oat rick here. 

 Thrash out early. Stack and thatch the straw so as to form 

 a shelter wall on the most exposed side. The pen being well 

 littered, and a sufficient nuinber of racks supplied, the ewes 

 are driven in every night, so that whatever the weather may 

 be, a comparatively dry and warm lair is secured. The racks 

 arc filled up with sweet straw, of which the remains are used 

 next morning to litter the pen. The most .sceptical would 

 be convinced that there is something good in well-har- 

 vested straw, if he saw the way in which the ewes will Avait 

 to be admitted, and then charge straight for the racks, where 

 they soon bury their heads, and are eagerly engaged in con- 

 suming the tenderer portions of the straw, leaving little but the 

 coarser lower stems. When filled, they will lie down comj)letely 

 satisfied, and in a much happier, healthier state than if out on 

 the wet land digesting a bellyfull of turnips. 



Here, as elsewhere, success depends upon good manage- 

 ment. The straw must be carefully " made." The corn cut 

 before it is dead ripe (as far as is practicable), and supplied 

 at different seasons with reference to its feeding value and the 

 condition of the ewe. Thus barley-straw, as least valuable, 

 may be used first ; if it has any seeds in it, so much the better. 

 We may here remark that barley not intended for malting, 

 may advantageously be cut before becoming so dead ripe ; in 

 the condition known as red streak, both grain and straw would 

 be more valuable. Barley straw will do until near Christ- 

 mas ; then oats and bean-straw, if grown, may be substituted ; 

 the latter, Avith the pods on, being otten very nutritious, and par- 

 ticularly suitable for very severe weather ; and lastly, towards 

 lambing, sweet pea-straw will prove as valuable as much of the 

 seed hay, which often consists of little else than over-ripe bents. 

 When the forward ewes are within a fortnight of lambing, 

 some good hay may be used in equal quantities with the pea- 

 straw. It is not absolutely necessary — indeed, we can easily 

 replace it by artificial food — but if we can spare a little hay, 

 sheep will now pay well for it. If we grow mangolds — and, 

 climate permitting, we ought always to do so — the tops spread on 

 the land will form a good change of food for a few hours daily, 

 if they are well withered before being eaten. If exposed to 

 a frost or two, so much the better. I have repeatedly heard of 

 losses from scour when ewes were put on mangold-tops, which 

 I attribute to want of care in providing that the leaves are 



