[100] 



the flock. This has so long been practiced by our English 

 cousins that no farmer thinks of encountering a winter with- 

 out a supply of roots in his cellar. It is proper we should 

 imitate these customs that are amply proved to be beneficial, 

 not only in affording food, but in keeping the flocks in a 

 good state of health. It is true the roots do not contain a 

 very great quantity of nourishment, but the large amount 

 of water in their composition tends, in a great measure, to 

 compensate for the dry fodders they otherwise would be con- 

 fined to at this season of the year. To give a just idea of 

 their value, we append a table from the work of Drs. 

 Voelcker and Lankester, giving the value of each in one 

 hundred parts. 



Woody 

 fibre. Ash. 



1.03 .80 



1.12 .96 



2.54 .62 



2.34 .65 



2.00 1.02 



1.70 1.00 



It will be seen by this table that a large proportion of 

 roots is water, and yet, with all this, they are highly prized, 

 not only for the beneficial effect they have upon the health 

 and growth of sheep, but experience has demonstrated the 

 fact that sheep fed largely on roots have a very fine lustrous 

 wool, especially on the long wool species. The quantity of 

 roots to be fed depends on the size and age of the sheep, old 

 and large sheep requiring a larger allowance of roots than 

 young or smaller ones. They should be always combined 

 with hay, and the largest quantity given should not be more 

 than one bushel to every ten sheep. As to the manner of 

 its preparation, that has already been noticed. Cut or 

 pulped up, and with a little bran or meal scattered over it, 

 with a rack full of hay, the sheep need not go through a 

 winter half starved and with poor wool, but will come 



