310 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



For the New England Farmer. 

 FEEDING SHEEP— REARING LAMBS. 



Mr. Editor : — In the May number of the 

 monthly Farmer there was a communication from 

 Solon II. Berry, of Vermont, on the feeding of 

 sheep, which concludes as folloM's : 



"It is generally understood in this part of Ver- 

 mont that a breeding sheep will do better not to 

 be in very high flesh, or as the saying is 'fat as a 

 hog.' As this is an important question, I would 

 like to hear the experience of some of our Ver- 

 monters upon it." 



Although I am not one of "our Vermonters," 

 still I feel some interest in the subject, and will 

 venture to give my opinion. 



That sheep will do better, bring more healthy 

 and stronger lambs in a stinted, half-starved con- 

 dition, or even with decent fare, than with high 

 feed, is conti-ary to my experience, and it seems 

 to me to be reason and common sense. In all 

 my experience in keeping sheep and raising 

 lambs, extending through a period of nearly 

 twenty years, and being in the habit of feeding 

 higher, probably, than most people, generally giv- 

 ing them corn for some weeks previous to lamb- 

 ing, I never lost a lamb when I was led to think 

 it was in consequence of my sheep having been in 

 too high flesh. 



I am willing to allow that my sheep under the 

 above described treatment, were not generally 

 "fat as a hog," and I think it is no very easy 

 matter while they raise one or two lambs each 

 year, to keep them so ; still, I have endeavored 

 to come up as near to that point as the nature of 

 the case, and a proper respect for my corn-bin, 

 would allow. I believe that sheep kept in high 

 flesh, with a full flow of milk, are much less like- 

 ly to disown their lambs. 



I have, at the present time, twenty ewes and 

 thirty-one lambs. There are nine pairs, one 

 triplet, and ten single. I have lost none. I do 

 not say that I have ever done any better than 

 this, but do say that in several instances, so far 

 as loss is concerned, I have made out as well. 



I apprehend that the real cause of the poor 

 success of many in raising lambs, lies, not so 

 much in the fact of their sheep having been kept in 

 good condition through the winter, as from some 

 cause or causes a little further back. It requires 

 but a slight acquaintance with the subject to con- 

 vince one that there is a vast deal of difl'erence in 

 breeds of sheep ; some kinds being naturally much 

 more inclined to bring weak and sickly lambs than 

 others. Then, again, many flocks of sheep that 

 formerly did well and brought good lambs have 

 probably degenerated in consequence of sufficient 

 attention not having been given to crossing, a 

 point of vital importance to success in raising 

 good lambs. 



I have practiced for a number of years messing 

 my lambs. I have a small enclosure adjoining 

 the sheep pen, with an opening large enough to let 

 them through and keep out the sheep. They will 

 generally begin to eat by the time they are two 

 weeks old. For the past five or six weeks my 

 lambs have taken from twelve to sixteen quarts 

 of meal per day. I am not very particular as re- 

 spects the kind of meal, though I rather prefer 

 equal parts of corn and oil meal. I have twin 

 lambs at the present time, not far from two 



months old, that will weigh nearly sixty pounds. 

 If in addition to the meal they have plenty of 

 good hay in a crib by themselves, they will re- 

 quire but little else. They will not be continually 

 worrying the sheep, so that not only the lambs, 

 but the sheep, will be in much better condition 

 on turning to grass than they otherwise would. I 

 have never discovered any injurious effect from 

 giving my lambs so much meal, although I al- 

 ways let them eat all they will. s. D. c. 

 Sunderland, May 15th, 1858. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 A SPRING CAROL. 



BT THE "PEASANT BARD." 



Now Spring calls the farmer afield to his toil, 



And cares fill the lengthening day ; 

 But hope gives him cheer from the fresh crumbling soil. 



And the sweet-scented airs round him play. 



Enchanting the songs of the birds, as I rove I 



O'erhead, — near-at-hand, — far away ; 

 The hymuings of nature — the warblings of loye, 



Poured forth on the brightness of day. 



There's the same little bird, with the same little song 



I heard when a loitering boy, 

 By the runny brook-side, the soft catkins among, 



And sighed for his holiday joy. 



But tcish of the boy, still is zcant in the man ; 



Life's real, though misnamed a dream ; 

 Youth's visions give place soon to plotting and plan. 



And carefulness sobers their gleam. 



Ah ! long is the road ! and how rugged the way, 



The past and the present between ! 

 My \'i3ion would pall at the desert survey. 



But for patches of "gold and of green." 



When the sun settles low, and the oxen are tired, 



And slow moves the ponderous plow. 

 Then robin, dear warbler ! by pity inspired, 



Carols "cheer up ! cheer, !" from the bough. 



And evening an ellin-like music awakes ; 



From the marsh comes the merriment shrill ; 

 The softened winds creep thro' the green springing braises, 

 And the moon rises red o'er the hill. 

 Gill, Mass. 



ANIMAL TRACKS OF THE CONNECTI- 

 CUT VALLEY. 



Among the most deeply interesting papers 

 read before the Scientific Convention at Balti- 

 more, was one by Professor Edward Hitchcock, 

 upon the tracks of animals found in the Connec- 

 ticut Valley. He described the valley as classic 

 ground for these sandstone tracks, ten times 

 more of them having been found there than else- 

 where the globe over. As to the age of the rocks 

 thus marked, he had recently concluded that a 

 portion of them, at least, were as modern as the 

 Lias formation. The cabinet of Amherst College 

 contains 8000 individual impressions of these 

 tracks. Professor Hitchcock said that most of 

 his time for two years past had been given to 

 grouping the individuals. He had made 119 

 species and 00 genera of them. He made 31 bi- 

 peds, 55 quadrupeds — 18 having more than four 

 feet, 12 without feet, and three of uncertain foot- 

 ing. Upon this he dwelt the more, because in the 

 Annual of Scientific Discovery, he had been in- 

 correctly reported as giving up his theory that 



