DRY FOOD. 165 



about the correct description of turnips in such circumstances 

 does not seem inviting, and, in fact, it is extraordinary how 

 the animal system can stand such treatment, and in many 

 cases thrive upon it. The advisability of adding some food of 

 a more comforting and concentrated character is apparent, 

 and this leads me to speak of the various descriptions of dry 

 foods for sheep. 



Winter may be considered to include December, January, 

 and February. Agriculturally, the winter is somewhat longer, 

 and yet November is scarcely a winter month to the stock- 

 feeder, and March brings a certain relief in the form of early 

 rye, young seeds, and in some favoured districts in the form 

 of water-meadow grass. July-sown rape, and late-sown turnips 

 also begin to throw up green fodder in March, so that some 

 time during that wild month we begin to feel the influences 

 of returning spring. Still, the stock-feeder's winter is con- 

 siderably longer than that of the calendar, and we shall pro- 

 bably not be far wrong if we assume that our flocks rely chiefly 

 upon roots, hay and purchased foods, from November I5th to 

 April 1 5th, or for a period of twenty-one and a-half weeks. 

 As late springs are among the evils which we may expect in 

 these latitudes, it is necessary to provide a supply of winter 

 keep for a somewhat later period, to be used concurrently 

 with spring crops ; and hence a sufficient stock of swedes, 

 mangel and hay, to last into May, must be considered as a 

 point in management. 



This can be accomplished by two methods, the first of 

 which is the more certain and practicable. It is summed up 

 in a piece of sound advice to all sheep keepers, namely, not 

 to overstock. Overstocking is liable to produce an uncom- 

 fortable and perplexing dilemma. The winter's provision of 

 food becomes prematurely exhausted, and the pinch comes 

 just at the time when it is undesirable to sell. The case 

 stands thus. We encounter a late spring, and store stock is 

 found to be a drug. The consequence is that we must hold 

 until the return of genial weather yfills the country with keep, 



