1032 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



"Water is absolutely essential to sheep in winter, but dry 

 flocks will do very well without it in summer if the nights are 

 cool and dewy and the grass succulent. Otherwise it is cruel 

 to withhold it from them, and I have known healthy sheep to 

 die from pure thirst during a long dry spell in summer, though 

 pasture was abundant. Nursing ewes ought to have daily ac- 

 cess to water at all times of the year. 



Frequent change of pasture is conducive to thrift, even if 

 one flock follows directly after another. A large flock kept in 

 a small field a few days is better than a small flock kept in it 

 continuously. 



It is difficult to feed sheep too well in winter, but the prac- 

 tice of feeding in summer, except in the case of lambs after 

 weaning, can scarcely escape the opprobrious designation of 

 "pampering." This is legitimate with sheep intended merely 

 for display; but a sheep which is expected to be of any use to 

 the practical farmer as a breeder ought to be capable of gaining 

 a good living in summer on pasture alone. The same objection 

 does not lie fully against summer housing, for a sheep long ac- 

 customed to it if not pampered and ruined by excessive feed- 

 ing at the same time may easily be weaned from it without 

 injury. Still, summer housing can hardly be said to be a subject 

 having any practical interest for the average farmer. 



Salt, of course, should be given in abundance ; it is best to 

 allow constant access to it in covered troughs. There are vari- 

 ous ingenious devices for causing the sheep to smear their noses 

 with tar in the act of licking salt, as a means of preventing the 

 attacks of the gad-fly. I do not attach much importance to 

 them, mainly because the vast majority of farmers would be apt 

 to neglect them. Free access to inclosed buildings, and plenty 

 of dust to stamp and snuff in, are of more practical value in 

 warding off the fly. 



Fly. When the fly has succeeded in its attack, and the 

 consequent grub is developed in the head, it is difficult to dis- 

 lodge it. The most practicable method is to syringe out the nos- 

 trils with a bulb syringe having a nozzle six inches long. Let 

 this be worked up carefully it will go up nearly if not quite 



