224 



ELEMENTS OF FARM PRACTICE 



may often be more easily and more profitably increased by 

 putting on a flock of from twenty to seventy ewes than by 

 adding from three to ten cows to the herd. 



Shelter. — Sheep are so well protected by their wool that 

 they need very little or no protection from the cold. They 

 should, however, be kept dry and have a place, that is free 

 from draughts, in which to lie down. A single board or 



Figure 98. — Shearing sheep by machinery. 



strav^ shed, closed tight on three sides, but with the other 

 side partly open so that the sheep may run out and in at 

 will, is a very satisfactory place in which to keep sheep. 

 If lambs come during the cold weather, warm quarters must 

 be provided. 



Fencing for Sheep. — One of the objectionable features 

 of keeping sheep on the average farm is the difficulty of 

 fencing them in. A fence that can be built for 20 cents to 

 25 cents per rod is satisfactory for cattle. A much closer 

 fence, as a woven wire fence or a narrow ribbon of woven 

 wire with one or more barbed wires above, is needed for 

 sheep. Such a fence costs 45 to 60 cents per rod. As farms 



