178 SHEEP : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



TRIFOLIUM. 



Sheep are very fond of this plant, and thrive well upon it 

 until it begins to grow old and hard. It is most useful at the 

 beginning of summer and precedes 



VETCHES, 



which must be considered as the mainstay of the flock during 

 the hot months of June and July. While vetches are in use 

 the earliest-sown 



RAPE 



becomes fit for stocking, and shortly afterwards cabbages 

 may also be relied upon. Vetches, rape, and cabbage assist 

 to tide over the latter weeks of summer before the earliest- 

 sown turnips arrive at maturity. 



Besides these crops, sheep will probably have access to 

 young seeds and to aftermath clover, and, if possible, a supply 

 of mangel wurzel should be also retained until the turnip 

 season comes round again. 



The various fodder crops named are better fed in combina- 

 tion than separately. Thus rye ought to be fed with water 

 meadows and turnip greens, as well as with swedes and 

 mangel. Winter barley should be fed with winter rye, 

 mangel, and trifolium or winter oats. Trifolium should be 

 fed with vetches ; vetches with rape and clover aftermath ; 

 rape with cabbages and clover aftermath. When to this 

 variety are added sliced mangel, linseed cake, and beans or 

 peas, a varied food is constantly provided, and the things can 

 hardly help thriving. 



As the acreage is cleared the ploughs follow, and the land 

 is quickly covered by a thriving turnip crop, which supports 

 the flock during the winter. The amount of sheep stock 

 which may be maintained during the summer months under a 

 system of fodder crops is very great. It may be best gauged 



