256 The Management of Sheep Stock 



system of slicing, though it must be granted that this is an 

 immense advance on the old system of making tegs, with their 

 shelling-teeth, gnaw their victuals. This (question is one of great 

 importance. Tlie value of mutton is high ; the cost of growing 

 roots is increasing. We must do our utmost to make the most 

 of such expensive food. Sheep will readily eat pulped roots : the 

 labour part of the question is the great difficulty. On a large 

 scale horse-power may be economically employed, as I have 

 before pointed out. 



Very serious losses sometimes occvu' when sheep are first put 

 on swedes : especially is this the case if the roots are in a growing 

 condition. The explanation is simple : they are unripe, and 

 consequently deficient in sugar, whilst the nitrogenous matter, 

 probably combined in an unhealthy form, irritates the bowels. 

 A strong evidence of the correctness of this view was given at a 

 recent discussion before the Maidstone Farmers' Club, Avhen it 

 was shown that locust-beans — a food very rich in sugar — had 

 stopped this dangerous scour. This leads us to very important 

 practical considerations. Root-crops should never be consumed 

 until fully matured ; and hence it follows that early-planted well- 

 grown turnips will do animals better at a certain period than 

 swedes. Swedes and mangolds will, as a rule, be greatly im- 

 proved by storing for a few weeks, as the ripening process then 

 goes on more rapidly, and there is a considerable increase of 

 sugar and soluble materials. 



When soil and climate are favourable, it will generally pay to 

 keep our produce until ready for the butcher ; and the better in 

 reason we can feed from l^irth the sooner will they be matured 

 and the greater our return, because less will have been wasted in 

 respiration. It is the nimble ninepence we have most of us to 

 look to in these days of expensive farming. If the climate is cold 

 and the land much exposed, as is the case on the West Country 

 downs, we cannot make much of winter feeding in the field, and 

 shall do well to push our lambs as much as possible through the 

 summer, and sell to more lowland farmers at the autumn fairs. 

 In this way lambs have been sold at ASs. to 50^. and upwards. 

 A heavy stock of ewes can be kept, as there is abundance of 

 winter food. The Wiltshire and Hampshire management of 

 lambs is excellent, though perhaps in some instances they are 

 forced more than is for the interest of those who purpose wintering 

 them. 



The last point of importance to which I would here call attention 

 is the keeping the skin and wool clean and healthy. Too often 

 the first dipping of the lamb is left till late in the summer, and 

 the vermin that more or less infest their bodies are allowed to 

 worry them for months. The first dipping should take place 



