102 BRITISH SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



1914. This is regardless of sheep which may have died or have 

 been purchased. 



The Shepherd's Account Book. It is important to keep a strict 

 record of the sheep, as with fluctuating numbers there is no other 

 way of proving loss. The shepherd should keep a note-book, in 

 which he should record all sales, losses, and purchases ; he should 

 also note the number taken into each field, and the number removed 

 from the field after the food is consumed, so as to make a check 

 by which he can prove the loss by straying or stealing of any sheep 

 in his charge. Moreover, a daily count should be insisted upon. 



The farmer should check his book, and post it in his sheep account. 

 He will find elsewhere a useful form in which to record the sales 

 and purchases of sheep, also the births and deaths. But, usually, 

 farm account books provide methods which accord with the general 

 principles running through them. 



Sheep Required to Feed off the Root Crops. As a rough estimate 

 of the carrying powers of an acre of cropping, it may be taken that 

 a teg having an allowance of corn, eats its own weight of swede 

 turnips each week, and an extra sixth more of white turnips. An 

 ewe will eat at least half as much more. Thus, taking the average 

 of the tegs to be eight stones, each sheep will eat 1 cwt. per week ; 

 and each ewe 1J cwt. A twenty -ton crop of roots, which gives 

 400 cwt., will, therefore, keep 200 tegs for a fortnight, and 200 ewes 

 three-quarters of a fortnight. 



THE SHEPHERD'S ACCOUNT BOOK. 

 SHEEP PTTKCHASED. 



SHEEP SOLD. 



