PASTURING WETHERS. 81 
before being turned out on grass than subsequently, and 
especially when fed a stimulating grain portion while yet in 
the sheds. 
5. That when the change sought has been thus effected 
in the dams, a superior quality in the lambs may be ob- 
tained by using rams in service of certain of the dark-faced 
types and more especially of the Southdown and Shropshire 
breeds. 
6. That such foods as clover hay, and corn fodder, bran, 
oats. barley, corn and oilcake, also fields roots prove very 
satisfactory under Minnesota conditions for the production 
of such mutton in winter. 
7. That in the markets of the West the demand for such 
lambs is not yet so good relatively as in certain markets 
further East. 
SECTION No. 2. 
PASTURING WETHERS WITH AND WITHOUT GRAIN. 
The keeping of sheep chiefly on pastures sown for them 
is of but recent introduction in America. As far as known 
to the writer it was first practiced at the Minnesota Univer- 
sity Experment Station in 1895. Since that time the prin- 
ciple involved has become incorporated more or less into the 
practice of many of the flockmasters of the country. It has 
been found that even the partial practice of such a system 
promises to revolutionize the methods of keeping sheep in 
the United States. The following are chief among the bene- 
fits flowing from it: First—It enables the flockmaster to 
maintain a much larger number of animals than he could 
otherwise. Second—It makes it possible for him to give 
them more or less of succulent pasture from spring until fall, 
which is favorable to their development. Third—It makes 
it possible for him to destroy nearly all forms of weed life, 
and cheaper and more effectively than it can be done in any 
other way, and Fourth—It enables him to fertilize his land 
so that it shall be in a good condition to grow other crops, 
particularly grain crops without anyother fertilizing. 
While experimenting thus in growing pastures, the 
thought came up in the mind of the writer as to whether it 
would pay to add grain to the pasture, especially when the 
