FOR SHOW RING AND MARKET. 155 



during the winter months. In the old country thousands of 

 sheep are fattened annually on little other than turnips as a 

 bulk ration, with the addition of a small quantity of grain. 

 What turnip-fed mutton means in England the whole world 

 of shepherds are familiar with. It is not only for fattening 

 sheep that they are prized, but for the bloom and growth 

 they put on young stock of all kinds. Turnips are easily and 

 cheaply grown. I have grown them to perfection in the 

 Central states by simply sowing the seed broadcast in the 

 cornfield ahead of the cultivator at the last cultivation of the 

 corn. The largest ones I pulled and stored for winter use, 

 the smaller ones I left for the flock to. clear off the ground 

 at will. I can safely say that no more healthful or economi- 

 cal food was ever raised than this, and the wonder is that 

 ten times more roots are not raised by our American flock- 

 masters to-day than there are. 



Mangels or Beets. 



Mangels, or beets, although furnishing one of the most 

 desirable roots for ewes when fed toward the spring, are not 

 a very safe ration to feed during cold weather, they being 

 very apt to cause scours of a very malignant form. When 

 comparatively dry and free from water toward spring there 

 is no better ration for the ewe that is suckling a lamb. Man- 

 gels should never be fed to rams, as there is no doubt what- 

 ever but that they are the cause of trouble of the urinary 

 organs, and many a fine ram has been lost from stoppage of 

 the water brought about by the use of these roots. 



The mangel is a very heavy cropper, and is easily handled, 

 and where provisions are made for the keeping of roots 



