COTTON CAKE. 169 



of straw with the hay, but such a proceeding is not agreeable 

 to the shepherds, who, in spite of all that is written in books 

 on the subject, believe in pure and unadulterated hay. We 

 must, in fact, regard a good stock of hay as one of the greatest 

 boons and best safeguards against those evils to which a ewe 

 flock is exposed during winter. It is a warm and comforting 

 food, and mixes well with turnips. It is this combination of 

 dry, sweet hay with watery turnips which, more than anything 

 else, will preserve the high position which this food holds 

 among practical men. Ensilage would not meet the case 

 nearly so well, and, useful as silage undoubtedly is for dairy 

 stock and fatting bullocks, it is not likely to oust hay from 

 the sheepfold. 



STRAW. 



Sheep should be allowed access to straw, and in hard 

 weather will eat a good deal of it. Like hay and other dry 

 food it helps to prevent over-indulgence in roots. Straw is, 

 however, scarcely nutritious enough for sheep, and is better 

 bestowed on cattle in sheds and stalls, when it can be 

 moistened with water or with mucilage made from linseed. 

 The system of pulping roots and mixing them with straw 

 chaff also is excellent for cattle, but less applicable for sheep 

 in the open field. Pea haulm is richer than the straw of 

 cereals, and sheep are very partial to it. The pea crop might 

 be cultivated more widely with advantage by sheep farmers, 

 as both the grain and the straw would be found exceedingly 

 valuable foods. Next to pea straw, oat straw is the most 

 useful, and barley and wheat straw can scarcely be recom- 

 mended in quantity for the flock. 



COTTON CAKE. 



Shepherds look askance at " that yellow cake." Whether 

 from custom, prejudice, or real experience, they prefer best 

 linseed cake, and surely there is much to be said in favour of 



