CHAPTER XV. 



Alfalfa and Sheep-Raising 



The day is not far distant when the free "range" will 

 be practically eliminated from the stockman's assets. His 

 stock must be reared on cultivated crops instead of by 

 grazing on grasses that cost nothing. Pound for pound 

 alfalfa is more fattening for young lambs or old sheep 

 than clover. Lambs soiled on alfalfa cut daily make a 

 phenomenal growth and are as a rule free from disease. 

 They may be carried through the summer on a light feed- 

 ing of green alfalfa and general pasture or farm grazing, 

 and fattened in the fall on alfalfa hay and cowpeas or a 

 little grain, at a generous profit. 



Thousands of sheep and lambs are every year brought 

 from Colorado and Montana to western Kansas and Ne- 

 braska and fattened for market on alfalfa hay and grain, 

 making for these commodities a convenient market at 

 good prices. 



HOW TO PREVENT BLOATING 



Pasturing sheep or lambs on alfalfa is dangerous, 

 although there are sheep raisers who make it a main 

 reliance. One man reports absolute freedom from loss for 

 several years, and his method is to have his sheep pen 

 adjoining the alfalfa field and early in April when the 

 alfalfa is just beginning to put on its green, he arranges 



