2S0 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No. 5. 



in without (Linger. It is also improper to suffer 

 sheep to browse upon fallows that are wet and un- 

 sound, as they frequently pull up unwholesome 

 herbs by the roots, which they eat with the dirt 

 adhering to them. This has been thought to give 

 them the rot; though there is much reason to doubt 

 the accuracy of that supposition, which, indeed, is 

 manifestly at variance with the fact, that sheep fed 

 on turnips, with which they necessarily lick up 

 dirt, are not thereby affected with it, though they 

 may be injured by the weeds. The origin of the 

 rot, so far as it has been ascertained, is solely attri- 

 butable to the wetness of the land on which sheep 

 are fed; and its immediate effect is the production 

 of insects, termed flukes or flmoks, which prey 

 upon the liver; but. whether these are generated in 

 the animal by the nature of the food, or arc de- 

 rived from animalcule absorbed with it, is still un- 

 known. It is observable that salt marshes are ex- 

 empt from this malady; and therefore salt lias, not 

 unreasonably, been conjectured to afford a preven- 

 tive, but its effects have not been sufficiently tried: 

 the best is a dry pasture. In such pastures, how- 

 ever, as are subject to give sheep the rot at certain 

 times, it will be advisable to let the lambs run with 

 the ewes; the longer the better; for though these 

 tender animals arc more susceptible of injury in 

 these unsound places than full-grown sheep, yetthey 

 are seldom attacked with the rot, suckling having 

 been found a preservative against it. 



In turning sheep into pastures, particularly wa- 

 ter-meadows, and also into those places that are 

 subject to rot, it will be necessary to purs;::' the 

 same precaution as with neat cattle, viz. previous- 

 ly to satisfy the craving of appetite, by giving them 

 hay or cut straw; and, after the dew has been 

 evaporated by the rays of the sun, to drive them 

 gently round the field for two or three hours, be- 

 fore they are suffered to feed. But, whenever any 

 sort of dry food is given, they ought to be supplied 

 with pure water, particularly during the intense 

 heat that usually prevails during the dog-day:;, and 

 which often renders the grass as dry as Bubble. 

 For this purpose, clear, light running water is al- 

 ways to be preferred, where it can be obtained; 

 though, in general, whatever water presents itself' 

 is made use of.* 



* The watering of sheep is on the continent, regard- 

 ed as a circumstance of the greatest moment, and ac- 

 cordingly receives that attention which it requires. 

 Thus in Sweden, and at the national farm at Rain- 

 bouillet, in France, they are daily watered with run- 

 ning water, or with that obtained from lakes and 

 springs; stagnant water being most properly and rigo- 

 rously prohibited. In some of the Saxon sheep-farms, 

 the sheep are watered in the cots or folds during the 

 winter, instead of taking them to watering-places. 

 Spring or well water is conducted, by means of pipes, 

 into troughs, out of which the sheep drink at pleasure; 

 they in consequence drink oftener, and each time take 

 less water, which is favorable to their health. The or- 

 dinary mode ©f watering sheep in that, and, we may 

 add, in many parts of our country, is attended with 

 many inconveniences. The animals refuse to drink 

 water in the winter, if it be too cold; they hurry while 

 drinking; and do not take enough when the weather is 

 ve ry windy, or hail, rain, or snow falls. Besides which, 

 they often disturb the water with their feet; this dis- 

 gusts them, and at length, one part of the flock com- 

 pletely prevents the other from approaching the water- 

 ing-place. 



The best time for turning sheep into summer 

 pastures is in May, when every attention should 

 be paid to proportion the number according to the 

 luxuriance of the grass; and, as these animals are 

 with difficulty restored to good condition when in- 

 jured by want of sufficient food, it will be advisa- 

 ble rather to understock than to overburthen the 

 land. It is, however, worthy of notice, lhat by 

 pursuing a system of close/ceding, the plants will 

 be prevented from running up to seed, and those 

 orasses, which are naturally coarse and unprofita- 

 ble, will thus be kept down, and become sweet and 

 valuable. The number to be allotted to an acre 

 depending on the weight of the stock, the richness 

 ol the soil, and the forwardness of the pasture, it 

 must be evident that no general rule can be appli- 

 cable to this portion of management, which must, 

 be wholly regulated by the combination of those 

 circumstances. 



Of lute years, it has become a frequent practice 

 to soil sheep during summer with the various ar- 

 tificial grasses, and to supply them with corn, as 

 well as green food, during winter. In this view, 

 barley-meal, when abundant and cheap, may be 

 advantageously combined with green meat, and 

 will speedily fatten wethers: pulverized oil-cake 

 has also been given; but has been objected to, as 

 ii is apt to impart a peculiar flavor to the mutton. 

 Pea-haulm is much relished by sheep; and pota- 

 toes, particularly if steamed, would rapidly con- 

 tribute to fatten them, were not the operation at- 

 tended with two much trouble for the feeding of a 

 flock. Borecole and hurnet also supply an excel- 

 lent food for sheep during the winter, particularly 

 towards the close of that season; but in most situ- 

 ations turnips form the farmers chief dependence 

 for the winter-keep of his sheep-stock. 



There are various methods in the use of giving 

 turnips to sheep. By some farmers, they are promis- 

 cuously turned into a field, and allowed to eat the 

 roots at pleasure; either previously picking these 

 out of the ground for their use, or leaving the 

 sheep to do that themselves. Others divide theirland 

 by hurdles, and inclose the sheep in such a space 

 as these can clear in one day, advancing progres- 

 sively through the field till it is cleared. But, in 

 either case, care should be taken not to turn them 

 in until the dew is off in the morning, as by their 

 eating the turnip-tops they would be subject to 

 become hoved. Another method is, to pull up 

 such a quantity of turnips as they can consume in 

 a lew days, and cart them oft* the land to the sheep 

 pastures; and in wet weather, or when it is an ob- 

 ject to feed off the turnips on the ground on which 

 they are grown, this is an advisable mode. 



Each of these methods has its advantages; but 

 a more profitable plan than either, is to eat off the. 

 crop by two successive flocks of fattening and store 

 sheep. By allowing the first the range of the held, 

 they will scoop out such turnips as they prefer, 

 and will thus satisfy their appetites better than 

 wllerethe turnips are dug up: amostmaterial point, 

 it may be observed, to be considered in fattening 

 all cattle, which should always be indulged, when 

 that is possible, with such food as they prefer. 

 The store sheep may then follow, and the roots 

 and pieces left by the former should then be taken 

 up lor their use. One man with a common picker, 

 used for the purpose, will turn out and break as 

 many as will serve a large flock, and his hire will 

 be more than compensated by their being eaten 



