lo March. 1909.] 



Progressive Farming. 



169 



to be fed off in September, and carried 760 ewes and lambs for 3^ months, 

 and in addition an extra 350 wcaners for one month of this time ; that 

 is for one month of this period the (i2 acres carried 1,110 head. 



FoTty-.seven acres planted in No\ember — 21 acres maize and 26 

 Japanese millet and rape. On the 8th January, 1909, 180 ewes with 

 their lambs were turned into this paddock. In two weeks, 60 lambs 

 were sent off fat, and 60 dry ewes Avere put in their- place. A fortnight 

 later, 107 ewes and 122 lambs were sent oft fat, and the paddock cleared 

 with the exception of 64 forward ewes (dry), which are on the crop now 

 and ready foT market. 



To summarize : The crop carried 484 head of sheep (ewes and lambs) 

 for four weeks, of which 349 head w^ere .sent off fat, and since then 64 

 more have topped off. We found that the sheep left the maize alone at 

 first, giving their attention to the rape and millet. When they did start 

 on the maize, however, thev stripped the leaves off in a very short time, 

 after which they chewed the stalks, until now there is only about a foot 

 of the stalk left. There is still a fair amount nf feed in the stalk vet, 



EXPORT LAMBS BORDER LEICESTER X CROSSBRED. SHROPSHIRE X COMEBACK. 



and eventually, noi doubt, the sheep will eat the lot. With rain and a 

 spell, there would be a good second growth of millet and rape, but owing 

 to the abnormally dry season, and flie grasshopper plague, we have been 

 unable to spell the paddock yet. 



In addition, 15 acres of millet and rape were sown in December, 

 1908. l)ut failed to get a start, as the grasshoppers nipped off the voung 

 shoots as fast as they appeared. We consider that much better results 

 can be obtained by having the crop in two paddocks, so that thev can 

 be spelled alternately. 



The following notes on the sheep are supplied by Mr. H. W. Ham : — 



Mr. Stewart keeps about t.ooo ewes, half comebacks and half coarse 

 cross-breds. The comebacks are mated with Border Leicester rams and 

 the coarse ewes with Shropshire rams. 



The comeback ewes lamb earliest, the coarse ewes later, but Mr. Stewart 

 is convinced that late lambing (about .September in his district) lessens 



