101 



sides 31-100 of a quart of com each per day, consumed 1 12-25 

 lb, of hay. Twenty sheep in another case, besides a liberal 

 allowance of turnips and corn, consumed 305 lbs. of hay in 

 7 days, which was equal to 2 5-28 lbs. per day. These exper- 

 iments give very different results ; something is without doubt 

 to be attributable to the kind and condition of the sheep. 

 Sheep of a large size will require more than the smaller kinds, 

 and sheep in a lean condition more than those which are fat. 

 It will be but reasonable to allow, I think, 2 lbs. of hay as the 

 daily consumption of a healthy sheep in the winter. Our 

 sheep in general, require foddering at the barn, ordinarily 5 

 months or 150 days in the year, which would be 300 lbs. of 

 hay to a sheep. This, at six dollars per ton, would be 90 cts. 

 Add to this 1 bushel of oats, 33 cents, and 30 weeks pasturage 

 at 3 cents per week, 90 cents, — the whole, two dollars and 

 thirteen cents. Add to this, the interest upon the value of the 

 sheep, two dollars, at 10 per cent, risks included, 20 cents. 

 Total, two dollars and thirty-three cents. We may substitute 

 for the bushel of oats, li bushel of ruta-baga, at 10 cents per 

 bushel, 15 cents ; and we may reduce the price of pasturage 

 to 2 cents per week, which would be 60 cents. Total, one dollar 

 and sixty-five cents, for the yearly keeping of a sheep. We 

 may consider the manure as an equivalent for the attendance 

 and interest. Now, what is the return for this keeping ? Three 

 lbs. of wool, at fifty cents per lb., one dollar and fifty cents ; 

 1 lamb in 4, or one fourth of a lamb, that is, fifty cents, which 

 returns produce two dollars per head. Such a result as this, 

 would be deemed a full and profitable compensation. These 

 calculations are of course necessarily affected by a variety of 

 circumstances, such as the season and state of the markets, 

 and the kind of sheep, so that it is difficult, by any mode of 

 calculation, to arrive at precision in results which may be 

 affected by so many contingencies. The farmer may always 

 feel satisfied if he can get a fair compensation for his produce, , 

 making all due allowance for the consumption of it on the 

 place. This, with good management, the sheep husbandry is, 



