284 SHEEP FARMING IN AMERICA 



sprinkling it over the hay; it may be put on the 

 coarse stems that they leave. After doing this for 

 a few days we will find their appetite for salt satis- 

 fied; then we will fill a box with salt in one corner 

 of the barn and let them have access to it at their 

 own will. But if we could take time and trouble to 

 put brine on their hay all through the feeding sea- 

 son that would be the better way, making them eat 

 the coarser parts with relish and avoiding all dan- 

 ger from getting too much salt. There is, however, 

 little danger of that if the lambs are first care- 

 fully introduced to it until their appetite is ap- 

 peased, then given access to it at all times. On 

 Woodland Farm it is the custom to roll salt barrels 

 into the barn and saw out two or three staves, let- 

 ting the sheep consume it as their appetite indicates 

 they should. But when the writer fed his lambs in 

 person he preferred the brining method. 



We will feed no grain at all .for the first two 

 weeks, unless the lambs chance to be unusually vig- 

 orous and therefore able to take it sooner. It is 

 wise to let the lambs get their strength before at- 

 tempting to feed them grain, to which they are not 

 accustomed. 



In some cases the lambs will be so weak when 

 they have found their journey's end that it will be 

 wise to strengthen them by feeding a little wheat 

 bran in connection with the clover or alfalfa hay. 

 There is scarcely anything more readily digested 

 and strengthening than wheat bran and it seems 

 especially suited to the needs of the lamb. In 



