48 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



to sour. Various methods have been resorted to, 

 to prevent the souring of milk, the chief of which 

 are the addition of some alkali dissolved in water, 

 and added to the milk when first set in the dairy. 

 Carbonate of soda, carbonate of magnesia and liquid 

 ammonia have been used for this purpose. But 

 neither will answer the purpose effectually, unless 

 added in pretty large quantity. When they are 

 added in sufficient quantity to prevent the souring, 

 a portion of the alkali will combine with the parti- 

 cles of butter, and form a species of soap, which 

 rising with the cream, injures the quality of the but- 

 ter. The only effectual method appears to be, to 

 keep the milk as cool as possible without freez- 

 ing, and to churn the cream soon after it is taken 

 from the milk. K. 



Concord, JVov. 20. 



WIKTEE MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP. 



In the Patent Office Rejjort for 1854, there is a 

 valuable article on the "History and Management 

 of the Merino Sheej)," by Gko. Campbell, Esq., of 

 West Westminster, Vt., from which Ave extract the 

 following remarks on the winter management of 

 sheep, which will be read with interest : 



Much of the success of the wool-grower depends 

 upon the M'inter management of his flock. Sheep 

 are animals which pay their owners better for good 

 care and keeping than any other stock usually kept 

 on a farm ; but if fed M'ith a stingy hand, or ne- 

 glected, if suitable conveniences are wanting, they 

 pay perhaps as poorly as any. The annual loss to 

 the United States, resulting from a want of suita- 

 ble sheds and other conveniences for the winter 

 accommodalion of sheep, is immense. The prompt- 

 ings of self-interest Avould seem sufficient to induce 

 our farmers to adopt a better system of winter 

 management. No intelligent firmer at this day 

 will attempt to deny the princij)le that wami enclo- 

 sures are equivalent, to a certain extent, for food ; 

 a variety of well-conducted experiments have con- 

 clusively demonstrated the fact. A large propor- 

 tion of food consumed in winter is required for 

 keeping up the animal heat, and consequently, in 

 proportion as the apartments are warm, within cer- 

 tain limits, the less amount of food will be required. 

 The other extreme, too close apartments, would be 

 objectionable from the impurity of the air, and 

 should be avoided. Sheep have very little reason 

 to fear injury from this cause. The majority of 

 those in our State suffer for the want of shelter 

 and a suitable quantity and variety in their winter 

 food. Many flocks are brought to their winter 

 quarters in fair condition, but are fed so spnringly 

 that the growth of their wool is almost wholly ar- 

 rested during the winter season, the fodder given 

 them being only sufficient to sustain the vital func- 

 tions. Under such circumstances the food con- 

 sumed by them is in fact nearly lost. The owner 

 has received no return in the increase of wool nor 

 in bodily weight ; and he will suffer further from a 

 large per cent, of actual deaths before the time of 

 shearing. 



With such a course of management the profits 

 of wool-growing will necessarily be small. If nei- 

 ther self-interest nor the feelings of humanity Avill 

 induce the farmer to provide properly for his de- 

 pendent flock, he will find it for his advantage to 

 keep some other domestic animal, and I know ot 

 nothing more suitable for such men than a hardy 



goat. While I protest against the starving system, 

 it would seem hardly necessary to caution farmers 

 against the opposite extreme, too high feeding, 

 wliich is also detrimental to the health and long fife 

 of the animal. While preparing sheep for the 

 butcher, high feeding is necessary and proper, but 

 for store sheep and breeding ewes, an over amount 

 of fat, produced by high keeping, is decidedly in- 

 jurious ; and, aside from the attending expense to 

 produce this state of things, it has a tendency to 

 shorten the lives of the sheep and enfeeble the off- 

 spring. The forcing system of feeding brings ani- 

 mals to maturity early, but is productive of prema- 

 ture death. 



The proper and the most profitable mode of feed- 

 ing, for breeding and store sheep, is that which will 

 develop In them the highest degree of bodily vigor. 

 Sheep fed in this manner would endure the fatigue 

 of a long journe)', while those high fed would fail 

 from excess of fat, and the scantily fed, from mus- 

 cular debility. Every wool-grower will find it for 

 his interest to provide warm, ca])acIous, and well 

 ventilated sheds for his fiocks, with a convenient 

 access to pure water. The feeding racks should be 

 made with good tight bottoms, in order that the 

 chart' and seed, the most valuable part of the hay, 

 may not be lost. Such racks will also answer for 

 feeding out roots and grain, and will avoid the 

 necessity of having an extra lot of troughs for that 

 purpose. 



The different ages and classes of sheep should be 

 pro])erly assorted. This classification, however, 

 must be left to the judgment of the breeder. The 

 size of his fiock, and his conveniences for keeping 

 will determine the extent of the classification. It 

 will be necessary, in all flocks of consideralile size, 

 to place the strong and feeble, in separate flocks. 

 The breeding ewes should constitute another divis- 

 ion, and so on with the lambs, keeping each class, 

 and age b}' themselves. 



In regard to the question, how often should sheep 

 be fed ? a difference of opinion among good mana- 

 gers exists. While one believes that twice a day 

 is sufficient, another thinks it desirable to feed three 

 or four times ; but the most important point, I al)- 

 prehend, is to feed regularly, whether twice, three 

 or four times a day. The writer feeds, at present, 

 hay twice, one day ; the next, hay in the morning 

 and straw at night, and so on, giving hay and straw 

 alternately, instead of hay ; and beside, a feed of 

 roots and grain is allowed at mid-day, allowing a 

 half bushel of corn and cob, or oatmeal, mixed with 

 two bushels of roots, to the one hundred head. As 

 sheep are fond of a variety of food, it Is desirable to 

 make as many changes as practicable. If allowed 

 constant access to pine or hemlock boughs through 

 the winter, it will be conducive to their health. 

 Salt Is equally as essential in winter as in summer, 

 and should be kept constantly by them. Rock-salt, 

 which is imported In large lumps, weighing from 

 20 to 50 pounds each, is the cheapest and best. 

 Sheep are not liable to eat it in sufficient quantities 

 as to ever injure them, as they can only get it by 

 Ucking. 



The New Jersey Farmer, is a new Agricultu- 

 ral monthly, published at Freehold, N..J., by Pharo 

 & Bentleson. It is in book form, and promises, 

 by its well-filled pages, to be an efficient agent in 

 the work of agricultural progress. It is edited by 

 Orrin Pharo, Esq. 



