214 THE FARMER'S AND 



ceive them in the fall, without too much labor, and acces- 

 sible at any time in the winter, without endangering them 

 by frost. The cellar should be placed as near the yard 

 as practicable, with a watering place at hand. A good 

 way of washing roots is, to have an oblong box that will 

 hold two or three bushels, with the bottom perforated with 

 auger holes, and rockers placed on the under side of the 

 box ; then, by pouring a little water and rocking them, 

 the dirt will directly wash through the bottom of the box. 

 They should then be cut fine with a sharp shovel, and 

 they are fit for feeding out. Browse in the winter occa- 

 sionally for sheep is very palatable, and is of considerable 

 use in preserving their appetite, and as a change of food ; 

 but care should be taken to select the right kind. There 

 are many kinds of hard wood, of which the bark and buds 

 are very injurious.* The bark of the black cherry eaten 

 by ewes with lamb, is almost sure to produce abortion. 

 Generally, winter-green is to be preferred to any other 

 browse. White and yellow pine are best. 



" Regularity in feeding sheep is of prime consequence 

 in cold, dry weather. It is not necessary to feed them 

 oftener than three times a day, if discretion is used in the 

 quantity of fodder.- In warm weather, and especially if 

 it is muddy, they should have little at a time, and be fed 

 four or five times a day. Daubenton and others calculate 

 that two pounds of hay are sufficient for the support of 

 one sheep a day, (which, by the way, is not enough.) 

 Calculations of this kind, if made with the utmost accu- 

 racy on one, or any number of sheep at one time, will 

 not apply to the one sheep at another ; because so much 

 depends on circumstances. A sheep that will eat three 

 pounds of hay in a cold day, will not, perhaps, eat more 

 than two in a warm day following ; arid still less in a damp 



* The wood disease, so much complained of in France, is wholly owing to sheep 

 ating fresh buds. 



