1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



61 



eSt of both sun and rain ?" Or will he find one 

 iadividual outside of the walls of a lunatic asy- 

 lum to subscribe to his doctrine, "that there is 

 no place more suitable for manure in the winter 

 than under the eaves of the south side of the 

 barn, that all the water that falls from the barn, 

 and the snow that accumulates upon it is no more 

 than is needful for the preparation of the manure, 

 to fit it as food for plants," &c., &c. In his "for- 

 ty years' experience," has it never occurred to 

 him, that he could compost his manure? mix 

 with it soil, mud, peat, Szc, and by this process 

 secure all the juices and gases that otherwise 

 would escape by drainage and evaporation ? 



In his long CKperience, has he never learned 

 that the caustic qualities of powerful manures, 

 (whether barn manure or guano) if he puts an 

 undue quantity in the hill, will prevent the ger- 

 mination of his corn or other crops ? and yet if 

 instead of exposing it to the weather and bleach- 

 ing it in the rains, he v.ould mix it with the same 

 bulk of soil or mud, he would have twice as 

 much manure, and of a better quality ; then his 

 barn cellar will not poison it, and it will not pois- 

 on his crops or prevent their germination. 



Can it be possible that Mr. M. is in earnest 

 in recommending his ruinous theory ? or that 

 he would for a moment think of practising it 

 himself? If so, we would suggest that his "for- 

 ty years' experience in the cornfield" has been 

 in vain, and that he had better have slumbered 

 all that time with Rip Van Winkle. 



Horace Collamore. 



North Pembroke, Alass., Dec, 1858. 



CARE OF SHEEP—fllUTTON. 



The opinion is quite prevalent in some sec- 

 tions, that sheep require no water in winter, and 

 that they actually do better without than with 

 it. This, hov/ever, is a mistake, and one that 

 has not unfrequently caused considerable losses 

 When permitted, sheep, although they are, from 

 their particular nature, capable of subsisting a 

 longer time without fluids than any other do 

 mestic animal, will generally drink from four to 

 eight times a day, and with evident benefit, par- 

 ticularly during winter, when they are necessarily 

 restricted to dry and unsucculent food, which en- 

 genders thirst, and requires much drink to ren- 

 der the economy of digestion and assimilation 

 sufficiently rapid and perfect to insure a continu- 

 ance of thrift and health. When practicable 

 there should always be a v/atering-trough in the 

 shed or yard, to which the animals confined in it 

 can at all times have free access, without mixing 

 with cattle or large stock of any kind, as they 

 are liable to be injured by the latter, especially 

 when young. When there is a pump in the yard, 

 the trouble attending such an arrangement is 

 comparatively slight, even where the sheep and 

 cattle yards are, as they always ought to be, dis- 

 tinct. 



From twenty-five to thirty sheep are as many 

 as can well be kept in one enclosure. When the 



number exceeds this, unless special care be taken 

 10 secure the most perfect ventilation, the ani- 

 mals are likely to contract diseases, and never 

 do so well as when confined in smaller flocks. 

 Pure air is essential to all animals, but especially 

 to the sheep. On taking sheep from their sum- 

 mer ranges, in autumn, the sudden change from 

 green to dry feed often operates detrimentally. 

 This is sufficiently evinced by the sudden loss of 

 appetite, and consequent emaciation exhibited, 

 and which is often attributed, erroneously, to 

 disease. As soon as they are taken from the 

 pastures, a few messes of turnips should be giv- 

 en them, daily, for a week or so, gradually di- 

 minishing the quantity as they become accus- 

 tomed to other food. By adopting this plan, and 

 allowing them a liberal supply of water and salt, 

 their constitutional vigor will remain unimpaired, 

 and the change rendered unavoidable by circum- 

 stances, be productive of no unpleasant or dete- 

 riorating results. 



In Great Britain, where so much use is made 

 of mutton by all classes, from the peer to the la- 

 borer, great attention has been accorded, not only 

 to the production of the greatest quantity, but 

 also to the best quality of mutton. After so 

 long a series of eftorts and experiments, it is but 

 reasonable to suppose that very many important 

 discoveries have been made in this particular 

 branch of rural economy, and that the business 

 of fattening, in all its details, is there more thor- 

 oughly understood and practiced than in any 

 other country. It appears, indeed, to be univer- 

 sally conceded by agricultural writers of England, 

 that sheep of great size and rapid growth, will 

 not give so fine mutton as smaller animals, and 

 those which are longer in coming to maturity. 

 This axiom may, in fact, be regarded as consti- 

 tuting the genuine secret of the success which 

 so markedly attends the efforts of the British 

 herdsmen and flock-masters in fattening their 

 animals for the market. The Leicesters, conse- 

 quently, are less valuable, being large and of 

 quick growth, than the "South Downs," which 

 are of a more diminutive size, and much longer 

 in coming to maturity. 



A late writer, in remarking on this subject, 

 says : — "A sheep to be in high order for the pal- 

 ate of an epicure, should not be killed earlier 

 than when five years old, at which age the mut- 

 ton will be rich and succulent, of a dark color, 

 and full of the richest gravy; whereas if only 

 two years old, it is flabby, pale and flavorless." 



In this country, mutton rarely attains the age 

 of four years, and hence, probably, the reason 

 why the article known by that name is generally 

 so poor compared with the English article. Weth- 

 ers of good size, and of a breed disposed to take 

 on fat readily, are often marketed at two or three 



