152 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



of it until it is actually sweet. The sun must have 

 time to get into it before it will be strong and good ; 

 and to eat it before that time is a damage alike to 

 the grass and the lambs. Furthermore after they 

 have a taste of green grass they will not eat dry 

 forage well, so there is loss all around. Keep them 

 on dry feed therefore until there is abundant green 

 grass and it is sweet, then you may let them go to it 

 without fear of them shrinking. One of the com- 

 monest mistakes in American stock farming is turn- 

 ing onto pastures too early in the spring. 



There is little danger of scouring from eating 

 grass after it has become sweet. The corn, of which 

 they are now eating a great deal, has a tendency to 

 prevent it and after a day or two they will go on as 

 though nothing had been changed, happy indeed be- 

 yond words in the fresh spring sunshine and fine 

 pasture, before flies have come or summer heat to 

 oppress. 



Here is a great argument for having lambs born 

 in winter, they may thus get such a vigorous start 

 that when green grass comes they are able to make 

 the most of it. There are two months in our trying 

 climate of the cornbelt that make ideal natural con- 

 ditions for making mutton cheaply; they are May 

 and June, with sometimes a bit of April. Wherefore 

 the shepherd should plan to have his lambs big and 

 strong when this time comes so that they may make 

 the most of their opportunities. There is less profit 

 as a general thing in carrying any over through July, 

 August and September, save those that are destined 



