YALE AGRICULTURAL LECTURES. 151 



any other class of sheep. The open fleece of the long-woolled 

 parts on the back when wet, and admits the water, which com 

 pletely drenches the animal, so that his abundant fleece is no 

 longer a protection from cold. 



Economy in feeding demands shelter for all sheep, as not 

 only less food is required, but also, it is better preserved from 

 waste. Water-soaked hay, or that which is in any way soiled, is 

 always rejected. The improvement in the quality of the ma 

 nure forms another argument in favor of shelter. That this is 

 not only healthful, but grateful to the sheep at all seasons of 

 the year, we see in the fact that even, in summer they will 

 seek their winter sheds at the approach of a storm, if they are 

 within their reach. 



Ventilation is of paramount importance, as connected with 

 shelter ; and to insure this, sheds, open to the south, are to be 

 preferred. A stable with an open window will answer for a 

 very small number, but the crowding of a large flock in such 

 a place affects the organs of respiration, and may result in se 

 rious disease, and should never be tolerated. 



The best form of rack has posts three feet high in the cor 

 ners, a bottom of boards, the sides and ends of two boards 

 each, the lower one the widest, with narrow perpendicular 

 strips nailed on, to keep the stronger sheep from crowding the 

 weaker. The spaces are larger in their perpendicular than their 

 horizontal opening. The size of these, as well as the width of 

 the rack, must be in proportion to the size of the sheep. Not 

 more than one hundred of the fine-woolled sheep should be con 

 fined in the same yard, while the long-woolled will not thrive 

 with more than twenty-five. A hospital^ snug and comfortable, 

 should receive any sheep that may be weak from, age or disease, 

 till, by careful feeding and nursing, they can be returned to the 

 flock. 



It is the worst possible practice to allow the sheep to fall 

 away in flesh as the grass fails in autumn. The increasing 

 wool conceals the shrinking carcass, much to the disappoint- 

 5* 



