488 BRITISH HUSBANDRY. [Ch. XXXIX 



gained an additional increase of weight of about 15 lbs. Tliey were, how- 

 ever, fed also with bran and peas, and it is therefore difficult to say how 

 far these articles, or the sugar, may have contributed to the increase of flesh. 

 From all the facts of the various trials, as stated at foot, taken collectively, 

 the Doctor draws the following conclusions : — 



1. " That sugar may be given with great advantage to sheep, if not 

 confined ; especially if they have access to green food, however little 

 that green food may be in quantity. 



2. " That sugar may be given to them with every prospect of a 

 beneficial effect, in the quantity of 4 oz. per day to each sheep. 



3. " That sugar — supposing it to be purchased at Ad. per lb.* — 

 would, at the rate of 4 oz. per day, be paid for in a return of flesh, 

 exclusive of the advantage of expeditious feeding and the benefit to 

 be derived from the manure. 



4. " That 6 oz. per day to each sheep exceeds the maximum that 

 can be given with the best advantage to sheep of the size of South- 

 downs. 



5. " That the advantage of stall-feeding sheep altogether upon 

 sugar and dry food, of whatever nature that food may be, is extremely 

 problematicalf." 



* Molasses, we conceive, might be used with nearly equal effect ; and the price, iu 

 the early part of 1837, duty paid, was only 28*. per cwt, 



f During the first week the sheep were folded every eveninj^, each having half a'pint 

 of bran and a quarter of a pint of peas, and the same quantity when they left the fold 

 in the morning. In a week they became habituated to dry food, and then, to this quan- 

 tity of bran and peas was added an ounce of sugar for each ; and when familiarized to 

 this, the following substances were tried. 



1. Linseed Oil was first given on the 7th of September, in the proportion of 1 to 

 32 parts of sugar. It was put into one only of the three troughs out of which they 

 fed ; the sheep, however, ate indiscriminately and apparently with the same appe- 

 tite. On the following day the quantity of oil was doubled, without any appear- 

 ance on their part of dislike. 



2. Train Oil was given in the same proportions, and with the same success ; 

 or rather, from the 'avidity with which they devoured this mess, it was supposed 

 that they found it particularly palatable. 



3. Assafoetida came next, in the proportion of 1 to 448 jiarts of sugar. On this, 

 part of the sheep began immediately, but others hesitated, and though they at 

 length commenced, yet the trough was not emptied qriite clean. The experiment 

 was however repeated on another day with 1 part to 220 of sugar, and they then fed 

 on it as readiljr as any of the other mixtures. 



4. Urine was then tried in the proportion of 1 part of sugar to 24 of urine ; upon 

 which mixture they fed greedily, without its seeming to be in the least offensive. 



5. Palm Oil followed, without any apparent consciousness on their part of any 

 alteration having been made iu their food. 



6. Empijreumatic Oil o/ Hnrtshorn. though uncommonly offensive to the smell, 

 was given in the proportion of 1 to 224 parts of sugar, but was onl}' rejected by 

 two or three, and not by them for more than a day or two. 



7. Tartar Emetic was also given in the pioportion of 1 to 240 of sugar, without 

 occasioning any ill effect on the bowels. 



8. Charcoal was not tried, from the difficulty of obtaining it sufficiently pul- 

 verized. 



The sheep not having rejected any of these mixtures, linseed-oil, train-oil, and palm- 

 oil were given in the proportion of 1 to 8, and the allowance of sugar increased to 2 oz. 

 each day. without occasioning any diminution of appetite or any change iu the state of 

 the bowels. 



From the 24th of September to the 22nd of October their allowance of food was in- 

 creased to a quart of bran per day, one pant of peas, and 3 oz. of sugar, ringing changes 

 at the same time with the different ingredients with which the sugar was mixed, in 

 order to discover the jiarticular substance which they most relished. They were, how- 

 ever, extremely fond of all, but with a slight preference iu favour of train-oil. Dr. C, 



however 



