454 



racks, with troughs attached to them, for the purpose of feeding short 

 provender, and to catch the leaves that may crumble off, and the hay 

 the sheep may pull through. Eight tons of hay fed to sheep in this 

 manner is of as much benefit to them as ten tons fed in the open field 

 from a stack. 



My lambs are yeaned the latter part of April and the fore part of 

 May. At four months of age I wean them, and put them in the best 

 pasture I h:ive, and put the ewes in the shortest feed for a short time, 

 in order to dry up their milk. I have never had an)'- sheep's udder in- 

 jured in this manner ; but if ihey are turned into fresh feed, a large 

 quantity of milk is produced, which is very painful to the ewe, and fre- 

 quently injures the udder. 



I think it of importance that sheep should have free access to water 

 everyday, but especially during the foddering season. 



Sheep are subject to various diseases, the most foi'midable of which, 

 are the rot, scab, and foot-rot. Time and space will not permit me to 

 treat upon them to-day, but I may perhaps give my views on this sub- 

 ject at some future time. 



Very respectfully, 



H. D. GROVE. 



Hoosick, ( Buskirk''s Bridge Post Office^) \ 



Rensselaer Co., N. Y. ,24th June, 1837. ) 



III. — Letter from H. D. Grove to H. Colman. 

 Buskirk's Bridge Post Office, Wash. co. N. Y. 13th Jan. 1839. 



Mr. Colman, — 



Dear Sir, — It is now more than eleven years ago when I landed with 

 my flock of Electoral Saxon Sheep in this country, and have ever made 

 it my unremitting attention and study to preserve them in all their pu- 

 rity, to improve the quality and quantity of their fleece, and to improve 

 them in size and symmetry of form. How far 1 have succeeded, I leave 

 for impartial judges to decide. But you will, nevertheless, permit me 

 here to remark, that 1 have improved the quality of their wool consid- 

 erably, and that I have increased the weight of fleece at least 6 oz. on 

 an average. I mention this, merely to repeat an established fact, that 

 even the high-bred improved sheep, is susceptible of still further im- 

 provement. 



