172 SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



factory, but it cannot yield extraordinary results, unless 

 indeed at a great sacrifice of area and of food. When the 

 master judges that the pasture is becoming bare, he shifts his 

 flock to another, and allows the first to regain its freshness, 

 when it may again be stocked. This system of free and open 

 grazing is constantly to be observed in travelling through the 

 country. The sheep are dotted over the pastures, or, as the 

 express train dashes past them, they are seen scampering 

 away from the fences in evident perturbation of mind and 

 body. The system is not only generally practised, but has its 

 advantages when used as an alternative to close folding, even- 

 in the case of sheep intended for exhibition, or for the maxi- 

 mum development of the animals. 



OPEN GRAZING FOR SHOW SHEEP. 



Show sheep require room, and even in districts where close 

 folding is the rule, the favourites are allowed to wander. 

 How often have we heard the advice given to allow such 

 sheep to " lie about " on a piece of good sainfoin, or to run 

 forward unchecked while the remainder of the flock follows 

 restricted between nets or flakes. By this system, if over- 

 stocking is avoided, the best choice of food is given, and it 

 may be recommended during at least a portion of the day. 

 Our Down breeds are well known to be patient of the fold, and 

 to be capable of being placed thicker on the ground than are 

 the Longwoolled races ; but even Down sheep are the better 

 of a free hand in the selection of herbage. Perhaps the best 

 plan is to combine the advantages of both systems in such 

 cases, and while allowing liberty at one part of the day, to 

 confine to a fold during another period. 



In hot weather sheep often seem to flag and sicken, and 

 refuse to eat during the most oppressive hours, and when this 

 is noticed the shepherd should draw off his sheep to the open 

 and breezy down, where they may spread themselves, and 

 they will then be seen to regain their appetites and pick about 



