56 THE SHEPHEBD'S MANUAL. 



a fence 10 feet high. There are no outside windows, and only two 

 doors, and but one of these, that at /, is locked from the out- 

 side, so that the turning of one key secures the whole enclos- 

 ure from trespassers. There is a second yard, 150 by 135 feet, 

 upon the south side of the sheep yard, with an open shed facing 

 the south, and divided into pens 9 feet deep, for cows or sheep, 

 and a pig pen 35 feet square, at the south-east of the sheep yards. 

 These sheds are made of inch boards, nailed up and down upon 

 the frame work, and the roof is of boards, with a sufficient pitch to 

 shed rain perfectly. 



In estimating the size of the sheds required for any given num- 

 ber of sheep it will be safe to allow 10 square feet of floor to each 

 sheep, when a yard adjoining the shed is provided, and there is 

 abundant ventilation in the shed ; and 12 square feet when there 

 is no yard, but only the most ample ventilation by means of boards 

 at the eaves, to be let down, and trap-doors in the roof to be 

 opened. Space may be economized if thought desirable, and the 

 expense of the sheds reduced, by having a second floor for the 

 sheep which is reached by means of a sloping passage-way of 

 planks upon which cleats are nailed crosswise to afford a foothold. 

 Sheep will readily ascend a gang-way of this kind, and will choose 

 the upper in preference to the ground floor. The upper floor 

 in this case must be made perfectly close and tight, of matched 

 boards tarred at the joints, and ample dry bedding should be pro- 

 vided to absorb all the moisture. This floor should not be 

 less than seven feet above the ground floor ; this will secure suf- 

 ficient ventilation if the lower, doors are double, and the upper 

 halves are kept open, and there are a sufficient number of open 

 windows or ventilating boards or spaces. A shed 20 by 50 feet 

 will comfortably contain 100 moderate-sized sheep ; 75 large Cots- 

 wold or Leicester sheep have been accommodated in a lean-to shed 

 of this size, with ventilating boards and traps in the roof. In 

 this shed there was a ventilating board arranged near the bottom 

 by partly opening which, a plenty of fresh air could be admitted. 

 On the whole, the sheds with a half open front, that may be closed 

 wholly or partly, with a yard adjoining, will be found preferable 

 to those which are made to be entirely closed. 



A convenient barn which furnishes space for shearing, room for 

 the storage of wool, pens for lambs and ewes, and lofts for fodder 

 and straw, with ample open sheds and a roomy yard, is shown at 

 figure 26. It can be made larger or smaller, to suit the needs of a 

 large or small flock. The main building, of which this is a repre- 

 sentation, is raised four feet from the ground upon posts, and the 



