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sheep than any other grain. A farmer who habitually sows 

 one hundred acres in wheat can subsist a flock of fifty sheep 

 throughout the winter without any injury to the wheat. In 

 fact experience shows that a wheat field very forward is 

 greatly benefitted by being grazed by sheep. It checks the 

 growth, and secures it against untimely frosts in April or 

 May. Throughout the wheat growing counties of Tennes- 

 see nine- tenths of the sheep are supplied bountifully with 

 green food by the wheat fields alone, and are kept in a 

 thriving condition. In a record kept for ten years by the 

 writer, who lives on the northern boundary of the State, it 

 appears that it has been necessary to feed sheep on an aver- 

 age only about twenty days during the winter months where 

 two acres of wheat to the sheep have been sown. 



But in those portions of the State where but a small 

 amount of wheat is sown, it is necessary to feed as has been 

 directed in the foregoing part of this chapter. Especially 

 is this the case in the elevated or mountainous parts of the 

 State. The greatest difficulty in raising sheep in the wheat 

 growing sections is in giving timely attention to lambs in 

 bad weather. When dropped in the open fields, especially 

 during wet or very cold weather, many of them perish be- 

 fore they are able to follow the ewes, or are often left by the 

 ewes where dropped. Attention at this time until the lambs 

 are strong will insure a rapid increase in the flock. 



Absolute quiet is a necessary requisite in fattening sheep. 

 The whole flock should be made so gentle that every sheep 

 will lick salt or take food from the flock-master's hand. No 

 animal is more easily gentled than a sheep, and none thrive 

 more by it. If dogs are allowed to go near them, and they 

 are continually frightened, they will become so demoralized 

 they will actually suffer from hunger while the troughs are 

 full. There should be as little passing through the lot as 

 possible, and they should have perfect repose. In a condi- 

 tion of peace they will thrive apace, and in six or eight 

 weeks will be well fattened, for it only requires a short time 



